Maccabi ask UEFA to rearrange Champions League home tie with PSG
Maccabi Haifa, PSG’s group stage rivals, will not be able to play at home on Matchday 3 due to the Yom Kippur holiday.
Yesterday, PSG found out about the three rivals they will face in the group stage of the Champions League. Juventus, Benfica and Maccabi Haifa will be their opponents in a group in which the Parisians start as the big favourites to finish as group champions. One of those clubs, Maccabi Haifa, has asked UEFA if their home meeting with PSG on Matchday 3 can be rearranged for another date due to the celebration of the Yom Kippur holiday, one of the most important in the Hebrew world.
Related news
According to L’Équipe, UEFA will rejig the calendar, taking into account the demands of the Israeli team. Matchday 3 will take place between Tuesday 4 and Wednesday 5 October - just when Yom Kippur will be celebrated. A new date for the Maccabi-PSG game will be arranged so that it doesn’t interfere with the holy day. Historically, the festival is celebrated during a fasting period in which Jews go to the synagogue five times, so it is practically impossible for it to be compatible with the Champions League match being played at Maccabi stadium.
It’s important to note that this edition of the Champions League group stage is more compressed than ever due to the celebration of the World Cup in Qatar between the months of November and December. The group stage matches will be played on the following dates: 6-7 September, 13-14 September, 4-5 October, 11-12 October, 25-26 October and 1-2 November.