PSG trip to Dijon goes ahead as Ligue 1 games postponed

Paris (AFP) – Paris Saint-Germain will travel to take on Dijon in Ligue 1 this weekend, the league (LFP) said Wednesday, after several matches were postponed because police resources are required to deal with possible anti-government protests.

The LFP had announced the postponement of the games between Nice and Saint-Etienne and Nantes and Montpellier earlier and then added Caen-Toulouse.

Local government officials in Dijon said the fixture against the league champions will be played but no travelling Parisian fans will be allowed into the Stade Gaston Gerard to watch the league leaders on Saturday.

Police in the southern city of Marseille have requested that the match between Bordeaux and Marseille also be called off.

Six Ligue 1 matches were postponed last weekend because of a weekend of “yellow vest” protests in France that descended into violence in Paris and several other cities.

The government has also increased security levels following a deadly attack on the Christmas Market in the eastern city of Strasbourg on Tuesday.

A spokesman at police headquarters in the region around Marseille said: “With the yellow vest protests, the emergency plan for attacks and demonstrations planned in Marseille, we will not be able to guarantee security for this match.”

The LFP said Saint-Etienne’s visit to Nice, scheduled for 8:45pm (1945 GMT) on Friday, could be played on Sunday at 5:00pm. 

The league said it would reschedule the matches in Caen and Nantes, scene of violent demonstrations last weekend, at a later date.

The matches postponed last weekend are due to be played in midweek on January 15 and 16.