Unlike Ligue 1, Europe’s top four leagues do not delay fixtures for Champions League | OneFootball

According to L'Équipe, Europe’s top four leagues do not postpone domestic fixtures to aid Champions League preparation, unlike Ligue 1.

In Spain, Real Madrid’s 4-1 win over Elche on 14 March, slotted between their last-16 ties with Manchester City, was played on its original date.

In England, Germany, Spain and Italy, league postponements for continental duty do not take place. Peter Crouch said he could not understand PSG v Nantes being moved between the two Chelsea games in the last 16, telling TNT Sports the Premier League has never done that.

Clubs in England, Spain and Germany do not make such requests, and in Italy they are rare, with the Lega remaining firm. After Pope Francis’s funeral on Saturday 26 April, Inter Milan v Roma was pushed to 15:00 the next day, leaving Inter only two days to recover before their Champions League semi-final first leg against Barcelona. Giuseppe Marotta said on Mediaset they asked for a further delay because it was fair and could benefit Italian football, but the plea was rejected.

Elsewhere, postponements happen. This season in Portugal, Sporting v Tondela, set between the last-16 legs with Bodö/Glimt, was postponed, as was Benfica v Rio Ave between their two matches with Nice in the third qualifying round. In Belgium, Club Bruges v Westerlo and Anderlecht v Gent were rescheduled during the August play-offs.

In the Netherlands last season, Feyenoord v Groningen, placed between the two Inter ties in the last 16, was also shifted. None of those leagues sits in Europe’s top four.

Source: L'Équipe