French league delays PSG and Marseille games while both still in European competitions
Marseille's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, centre, celebrates after winning a penalty shootout at the end of the Europa League quarter final second leg soccer match between Olympique de Marseille and SL Benfica at the Velodrome stadium in Marseille, south of France, Thursday, April 18, 2024. Credit: AP/Daniel Cole
PARIS — The French league has rescheduled games involving Paris Saint-Germain and Marseille next month because both sides are involved in European competitions.
PSG was set to travel to Nice, and Marseille was at Reims in the 32nd round over May 2-4.
Following a board meeting, the French league decided on Friday to move both matches to midweek on May 15.
PSG and Marseille overturned first-leg deficits to reach the Champions League and the Europa League semifinals.
PSG won at Barcelona 4-1 on Tuesday after losing the first leg 3-2 in Paris and next plays Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League semifinals. The first leg is in Germany on May 1 and the return at Parc des Princes on May 7.
Marseille recovered from losing the first leg 2-1 to beat Benfica 1-0 and knock the Portuguese side out on penalty kicks on Thursday at a jubilant Stade Velodrome.
Marseille hosts Atalanta on May 2 and goes to Bergamo for the second leg on May 9.
They have one European trophy each.
Marseille won the Champions League in 1993 — still the only French side to do so — and PSG won the now-defunct European Cup Winners' Cup in 1996.
