What: French Ligue 1
Who: Marseille v Paris Saint-Germain
When: Sunday 7th October, 2012, at 20:00 UK Time
Where: Stade Velodrome, Marseille, France
Le Classique Returns
‘Le Classique’ is France’s fiercest rivalry and should be particularly exciting here, as for the first time in years, Marseille and PSG come into the game as the main contenders for this season’s Ligue 1 title. The match took on its importance during the 1990s, when both teams were vying for supremacy. Many expected PSG to walk away with this year’s title – Marseille have other ideas and started with six successive victories for the first time in their history.
Last weekend, Elie Baup’s men lost 4-1 to Valenciennes, demonstrating their fallibility, but Marseille’s sure footed defence should be more suited to the task at hand against a more technically focused PSG team. A 5-1 win over AEL Limassol in the Europa League was an ideal way to warm up for the visit of Carlo Ancelotti’s side, but this is bound to be a tightly fought encounter. And forward Loic Remy believes that Marseille’s collective spirit could be the key.
"We’ve got quality and team spirit. That spirit’s what we need to retain in all circumstances. That didn’t necessarily happen last season and we saw the consequences”, said the striker.
“This season the collective is the most important thing. I know on Sunday we’ll do what we need to do to win the game. For me, Sunday is like a Champions League match. It will be a difficult task for us but not an insurmountable one. People are talking up PSG and they are a team with a lot of individual quality who have certain problems collectively. We’re going to use our collective force.”
Parisians Showing Ominous Form
There is, as usual, a travel ban in place for this game for the visiting fans, as the last time such a measure was not in place back in 2010, a PSG supporter was killed. Only an authorised group of 150 supporters will be present at the game, which is sure to be a high-octane clash as the Parisians look to take top spot in Ligue 1. If they do come away with three points, it would be an ominous sign and would prompt inevitable concern that the title race is already over.
That is mainly because of the way PSG have gone about their business so far this season. Their form has been ruthless in recent weeks. That ruthlessness had been missing last year and in the opening weeks of the new campaign as fresh faces were integrated. But still unbeaten, Ancelotti has his team firing on most cylinders now, having won five league games in a row and Zlatan Ibrahimovic has settled seamlessly, netting seven already in the league. He will be marked by Marseille’s talented defender Nicolas N’Koulou, but the always forthright Swede this week claimed “I do not know him, sorry”, when questioned about the youngster’s talents. He may wish to do some research between now and kick off.
A midweek trip to Portugal was a bit of a reminder that there is still plenty to do. An accomplished FC Porto team deservedly beat PSG, inflicting a first defeat on them this campaign. The Parisians will now face their biggest domestic test of the season and all the pressure will be on them at the Stade Velodrome.
Recent form
Marseille:
Marseille 1-0 Evian (23/09; Ligue 1)
Valenciennes 4-1 Marseille (30/09; Ligue 1)
Marseille 5-1 AEL Limassol (04/10; Champions League)
PSG:
Bastia 0-4 PSG (22/09; Ligue 1)
PSG 2-0 Sochaux (29/09; Ligue 1)
FC Porto 1-0 PSG (03/10; Champions League)
Key absences
Marseille: Rafidine Abdullah; Kassim Abdallah; Leyti N’Diaye; Joey Barton (suspended); Souleymane Diawara
PSG: Ezequiel Lavezzi (doubt); Thiago Motta (doubt); Mahamadou Sakho; Mathieu Bodmer
Players to watch
Marseille – Mathieu Valbuena: If Marseille allow themselves to be dominated, as they were against Valenciennes, they will surely capitulate against this PSG team. The hosts will need to get on the ball and retain possession well if they are to hold their own and test Ancelotti’s side. For that, Valbuena is critical, and the playmaker has a habit of bringing his best to the biggest matches.
PSG – Marco Verratti: The anointed successor to compatriot Andrea Pirlo as Italy’s deep-lying playmaker of the future, Verratti was the least heralded of the summer signings for PSG. But at the same time, he has arguably been the most impressive, his range of passing evident for all to see and he has become an integral part of Ancelotti’s team. The combination of his creative brilliance and accuracy, and the attacking talents of Jeremy Menez, Javier Pastore, Ezequiel Lavezzi and of course Zlatan Ibrahimovic, could make this a one sided title race if PSG win this game. And if they do, Verratti will be at the heart of things once again.
Match Prediction
Ancelotti has been a frequent rotator of his squad since arriving in the French capital and it could be the midfield that is key to this match. Marseille are short of experience in the middle of the pitch and have been using Rafidine Abdullah, but he is out of this, after impressing in the opening weeks of the campaign. Whichever combination of midfielders Ancelotti uses, his three men in the middle of the pitch could make life very difficult for the home side.
Verratti will expect to get plenty of the ball and the onus will be on Marseille’s collective game to try and stifle PSG going forward. The speed of the Ayew brothers and Remy on the counter attack will give hope to Baup, but his team really need to be clinical when chances come their way. However, those chances are likely to be limited and despite winning this fixture 3-0 last season, a repeat is unlikely. Marseille 1-3 PSG.
Fancy a bet this weekend? Check out our Marseille v Paris Saint-Germain betting tip!
