Paris Saint-Germain’s opening Ligue 1 fixture against Rennes has been relocated due to severe damage inflicted on their home stadium’s playing surface. The French champions were originally scheduled to host the match at Parc des Princes on Sunday, but the venue swap will now see them travel to Brittany instead. Officials from the Ligue de Football Professionnel determined that the pitch condition posed safety concerns for players and did not meet acceptable standards for professional competition.
Extreme heatwaves across France throughout the summer months caused the damage to the Parc des Princes pitch. The country experienced record-breaking temperatures in late June, with Paris reaching nearly 41 degrees Celsius. These unprecedented conditions also impacted other European football venues, with Spanish club Celta Vigo similarly forced to postpone their La Liga opener after fungal growth devastated their pitch during weeks of unrelenting heat.
PSG management acknowledged the inconvenience caused by the fixture adjustment while characterizing it as an unavoidable circumstance. The club has committed to installing a replacement pitch at their home stadium before their next domestic match against Monaco on September 4. As defending champions, PSG will begin their title defense away from home, though they remain overwhelming favorites to secure another Ligue 1 crown this season.
Originally reported by Sports.yahoo →
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