The derby between Paris Saint-Germain and Olympique Lyon will not take place as originally scheduled. The Ligue 1 match, scheduled for Sunday night, was moved to Monday, October 26, following an order from the Paris police.
The French Football League said the decision was made due to security concerns in the capital, where new protests are expected over the weekend. This is the fourth match in the top two tiers of French football to be rescheduled due to the situation in the country.
The change also creates a curious situation around the “Ballon d'Or“ ceremony, which is also scheduled for Monday, but will be held in London. Among the invited PSG players are Hvicha Kvaratskhelia, Ousmane Dembele and Fabian Ruiz.
Dembele, who is the current holder of the prestigious individual award, and Kvaratskhelia are nursing injuries. With permission from the club, both could attend the ceremony, despite the team's changed schedule.
The upcoming clash is also of great importance for the Ligue 1 standings. PSG and Lyon have 14 points each, but the “kids” occupy first place thanks to their better goal difference. The Parisians are second, and FC Paris, Lille and Monaco also have 14 points.