As though being considered the odd one amongst its top five league counterparts is not enough, the Ligue 1 continues to be ridiculed by its own stakeholders and standard bearers amid PSG's request for postponement.

Even though the Ligue 1 has actually been performing well in UEFA coefficients recently, perception is the reality of the football world, and that of the French top-flight being Farmer's League will not change anytime soon, and evidently, not that the LFP wants it to.

Title-chasing RC Lens on Monday released an official statement to condemn the unfair request by their rivals to postpone a potential title decider due to a Champions League quarter-final date with English side Liverpool.

The statement reads: "It appears to us that a concerning sentiment is beginning to take hold: that of a French championship being progressively relegated to the status of a mere adjustment variable at the mercy of the European imperatives."

The impartial treatment of the Paris Saint-Germain started last season, as they sought to end an over three-decade wait for a French Champions League title since Olympique Marseille's controversial triumph in 1991.

While The Blood and Gold have firmly rejected the proposal, the LFP have gone on to approve it, adding to the recent postponement of Les Parisiens' clash with Nantes, during their round of 16 doubleheader with Chelsea.

Amid the controversy, we analyze just how low the public would think of the Ligue 1, not just because of the protest of PSG's rival club but also because the champions could even think of making such a request, and the LFP granting it.

Ligue 1 is never beating the Farmer's allegations 

After PSG's Champions League triumph last season, the world was starting to give Ligue 1 more plaudits, as it has always been dismissed as the least of the European top five leagues.

Under Luis Enrique, Paris Saint-Germain conquered not only domestically but also in Europe; however, many overlooked that their European dominance only surged following an early coronation in the league.

It seemed a minor concern at the time, even when they surrendered their invincibility during the run-in following a 3-1 home defeat to OGC Nice in April.

During their Champions League semi-final doubleheader against Arsenal, they failed to win any of their three league fixtures, losing two and drawing one, simply because they could afford to rest key stars with the title already secured.

However, with RC Lens now breathing down their necks in a genuine two-horse race, PSG cannot afford to lower their guard this season, and in their desperation, they continually lodge these despicable postponement requests.

On a weekend where Lens dropped points at Lorient, PSG was handed a reprieve for the visit of Nantes, a decision that could potentially see them move four points clear if the status quo holds until the new date of April 22nd.

Fairness is an Afterthought in Ligue 1

The LFP’s habit of clearing the domestic calendar whenever a Champions League or any European competition flickers in the distance has turned Ligue 1 into a curated exhibition rather than a sporting meritocracy.

By allowing their representatives in Europe to postpone crucial fixtures, the league is effectively subsidizing the European ambitions of some clubs at the expense of its own competitive integrity, as highlighted in RC Lens' statement.

While their counterparts like the Premier League and LaLiga expect their clubs to navigate grueling three-game weeks run as a badge of elite status, the LFP treats PSG with kid gloves.

This favoritism not only creates a distorted table, but also robs mid-table teams of chances of giant-killings as a result of fatigue from having to play three times a week, while traveling across countries and cities.

When the rules of the competition are treated as adjustable variables to suit the wealthy occupant, the Farmer's League label isn't just an insult, it’s a self-inflicted diagnosis of a league that has abandoned the principle of a level playing ground.

Affirming Ligue 1 status as a Joke 

By prioritizing PSG’s Champions League ambitions over domestic fairness to Lens, the LFP has effectively branded Ligue 1 a substandard competition.

Rescheduling matches to provide the Parisians an edge is a luxury not afforded to giants in the Premier League or La Liga, where playing three times a week in the final four months of every season is the standard for excellence.

This blatant favoritism signals that the French league exists merely as a developmental camp for its sole powerhouse.

PSG has won each of the last four Ligue 1 titles, currently the longest championship run of any of the top five leagues, while they have been rivaled by different clubs in this period as others could not maintain consistency.

Based on recent facts, this might be Lens' only chance to compete for the league in a long while, and the LFP is doing all it can to ensure that its rival will have a comparative advantage, when it should have been they who are the beneficiary of their rival's European commitment.