Paris Saint-Germain, PSG, will begin its Ligue 1 title defence against Rennes away from home after damage to the pitch at the Parc des Princes forced the French champions to relocate the opening fixture.
The match, scheduled for Sunday, will now take place in Rennes following a late decision by the French football competitions committee on Wednesday.
The change of venue came after the Parc des Princes pitch deteriorated significantly as a result of the heatwave that affected France during the summer.
PSG said the condition of the playing surface had become unsuitable for hosting the fixture under satisfactory conditions, particularly with regard to the safety and physical well-being of the players.
The club said the decision to move the game was reached in agreement with Rennes, adding that the cooperation of its opponents made it possible for the match to proceed as planned.
“Paris Saint-Germain fully understands the inconvenience caused by this change for its supporters and all those who had planned to attend this match at the Parc des Princes,” the club said.
PSG expressed regret over the disruption caused to supporters who had made arrangements to attend the game at its home ground.
Also Read: PSG sign World Cup hero Torres from Barcelona
The club also confirmed that it had identified a solution to replace the damaged pitch at the Parc des Princes ahead of its upcoming home fixtures.
According to PSG, the new playing surface is expected to be installed in time for the club’s next Ligue 1 home match against Monaco on September 4.
The relocation means PSG will not have the traditional advantage of opening its title defence in front of its home supporters at the Parc des Princes.
However, the club will still aim to make a strong start to the new Ligue 1 campaign after a successful opening to the season.
The defending French league and Champions League champions began their campaign with a victory over Aston Villa in Austria last Wednesday to retain the UEFA Super Cup title.
The win provided PSG with an early boost as the club prepares for another demanding season across domestic and European competitions.
Rennes, meanwhile, will host the defending champions in the rearranged fixture, with both teams expected to seek a positive start to their Ligue 1 campaigns.
PSG’s focus will now turn to overcoming the unexpected change of venue while ensuring that the Parc des Princes pitch is restored to an acceptable standard before the club returns home.
The match will therefore provide an unusual start to PSG’s title defence, with the champions taking on Rennes on their opponent’s ground because of weather-related damage to their home playing surface.
Al Jazeera
