Enrique ignites the French league crisis: where is the level playing field? | Goal.com
Luis Enrique has rejected the idea of Paris Saint-Germain playing both the home and away legs against Rennes away from home, insisting that the principle of equal opportunity requires the second encounter to be held at the Parc des Princes, after the first match was exceptionally moved to the Roazhon Park due to the poor condition of the Parisian club's pitch.
PSG travel to face Rennes tomorrow, Sunday evening. The match had originally been scheduled for the French capital before it was moved to Rennes, with successive heatwaves leaving the Parc des Princes pitch damaged.
Rennes, according to press reports, are unwilling to give up their right to play the return leg on their own ground as well.
Speaking at the press conference ahead of the match, Enrique made his stance on the venue for the return leg crystal clear. PSG must host Rennes in the reverse fixture during the second round.
The Spanish coach said, as highlighted by RMC: "I don't know the regulations, but when a competition starts, there is a very important principle, which is equality between all teams. You cannot play twice away from home against the same team. All teams must play once away from your ground and once on your ground."
PSG base their stance on what the regulations describe as "exceptional circumstances", set out in Article 501.3 of the French Football League's rules, which include the deterioration of the pitch.
For now, the French Football League has not announced its decision on whether the order of the two matches can be reversed.
Play the return leg at the Roazhon Park too, in March 2027, and PSG will have hosted one game fewer on their own ground than every other club in the French league.
That scenario, Enrique believes, would leave his team unfairly treated, especially as the switch of the first leg to Rennes came down to exceptional circumstances beyond the usual sporting considerations.
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