PSG were due to play Lyon on Sunday evening, in a clash between two teams competing for the top spot, at the Parc des Princes. Afterwards, a large delegation of the Parisian club's management and players, including candidates for individual awards, were expected to attend the Ballon d'Or ceremony in London, hoping to return home with the trophy, just like last year.
But due to the clashes in Paris, the most sensitive match of the championship was postponed to Monday evening, at the same time as the award ceremony. Thus, the Parisian players competing for the trophy will not be able to follow their ranking or the announcement of the winner live, since at that moment they will be engaged on the pitch in a match that will decide the championship leader.
The Paris Police Prefecture decided to postpone the match to Monday, October 26, at 8:30 p.m., due to the NFL match between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New Orleans Saints, which will take place in the afternoon at the “Stade de France”. New protests and social tensions are expected in the city. The American football match is the reason why PSG will play at the same time as the Ballon d’Or ceremony. This decision has caused controversy among fans and sports fans, but the authorities have taken it for reasons of public order.
Why PSG will play on Monday, at the same time as the Ballon d'Or ceremony
A large PSG delegation was expected to travel to London to attend the ceremony. Among the 30 candidates for the award are Dembélé, the winner of the last edition, Fabián Ruiz, Hakimi, Vitinha, João Neves, Marquinhos, Nuno Mendes, Pancho, Ferran Torres and, of course, Kvaratskhelia, who is among the favorites to win. Luis Enrique is also in the running for the best coach award.
PSG are the most represented team this year, after their Champions League triumph, but almost no one will be able to travel to the ceremony, as the players will be on the pitch that evening, with the exception of those who are injured. While the Ballon d'Or winner will be announced and the final standings will be announced, the French players will be playing against Lyon for first place in the championship. The match was originally scheduled for Sunday precisely to avoid clashing with the ceremony.
However, on Sunday afternoon, Paris will host another NFL game. Authorities fear new unrest following protests against rising living costs and education conditions, which could erupt in several city squares, as has happened in recent weeks. Last weekend, the number of protesters exceeded 500,000 and there were episodes of violence. Meanwhile, police resources are considered insufficient to guarantee public order during the two events, even though they will take place at different times.
For this reason, the prefecture has given priority to American football, putting PSG in a very difficult situation. The Parisian team cannot play on Sunday evening and will be forced to take to the field on Monday, giving up participation in the Ballon d'Or ceremony, where it was expected to be present. It is precisely the clash with this major event that has caused the strongest reactions. The only Monday of the year when such a ceremony takes place has been chosen, which is of particular interest to PSG players, who are already accustomed to missing out on it.
Last year, PSG's away match against Marseille was held at the same time as the Ballon d'Or ceremony, but then the postponement was caused by bad weather conditions. This time, the NFL was given priority in Paris. This decision was initially not well received by the federation and fans, who consider it an interference by the authorities in the match calendar. Many have called the decision shameful and disrespectful to the public and the footballers themselves, who should have been in London at that moment.
Thus, the candidates for the award will only learn the winner and their position in the rankings after the match against Lyon. However, a small delegation may manage to attend the ceremony, for example injured players such as Dembélé and Kvaratskhelia, accompanied by some club officials. For everyone else, participation in the event they have been waiting for for months will not be possible.
