Paris Saint-Germain could be without some of their biggest stars at the Ballon d’Or ceremony after organisers confirmed that the highly anticipated Le Classique against Marseille has been rescheduled to Monday night due to severe weather warnings in southern France.
The change leaves PSG facing a major scheduling headache, as the match will now clash directly with football’s most glamorous night at Paris’ Théâtre du Châtelet, where several of the club’s top players are expected to be honoured.
Among them is Ousmane Dembélé, considered a leading contender for the men’s Ballon d’Or following his role in PSG’s Champions League triumph in May and European Super Cup victory in August.
The Parisian giants have a record nine other players nominated across categories, making them the most represented club on the shortlist. But with kick-off at the Vélodrome now coinciding with the awards, many could be forced to prioritise club duty over individual recognition.
Head coach Luis Enrique will already be without Dembélé and rising star Désiré Doué for the match through injury potentially freeing them to attend the ceremony if they choose.
The Bouches-du-Rhône region remains under an orange alert for torrential rain, flooding and thunderstorms, prompting authorities to postpone the Sunday fixture to ensure fan and player safety.
The clash between football’s biggest derby and its glitziest awards gala comes just a year after Real Madrid boycotted the 2024 ceremony in protest at Vinícius Júnior being overlooked in favour of Manchester City’s Rodri. This time, PSG’s absence would be down to storm-driven fixture reshuffling rather than politics.
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