Matchday three starts a day early
Toulouse host Lille on Thursday September 3 at 20:45, which is not where this fixture was supposed to sit. Ligue 1+ asked for the change. Both clubs said yes.
The reason has almost nothing to do with either of them. When the round was drawn up, nobody yet knew how the Champions League play-offs would land, and the league had to build a schedule that survived a Lyon qualification.
Try it for $0.99.
Europe wrote the fixture list
Follow the chain. Had Lyon seen off Fenerbahce, their Champions League opener would have fallen on Tuesday September 8. Lille play that same evening. PSG go on Wednesday the 9th, Lens on Thursday the 10th.
PSG-Monaco was already nailed down for Friday September 4 at 20:45. That left Toulouse-Lille and Lyon-Auxerre stacked on the same night, one of them pushed back to a 19:00 kickoff, and both Lille and Lyon staring at a three-day turnaround before European football.
So the broadcaster floated the Thursday slot and got its answer. Lyon then lost to Fenerbahce and the whole scenario evaporated. Too late. The fixture had already moved.
Four days of football instead of three
The round now stretches from Thursday to Sunday, with five games in prime time.
Toulouse-Lille opens it. PSG-Monaco takes Friday. Saturday gives you Nice-Le Mans and Le Havre-Brest. Marseille-Paris FC closes the weekend on Sunday.
Discover the rest of the football news on our website and mathodds app!
in your pocket.
Real-time notifications & alerts
Leave a Reply