Marseille-PSG is a match of the twenty-fifth day of Ligue 1 and is played on Sunday at 20:45: statistics, probable formations, predictions
The match that everyone in France has been waiting for with some trepidation for a few weeks now. The one that has always been most fascinating and which this time, in addition to the historical rivalry that exists between the two fans – and which has been revived after the rise of the Parisians in the last decade – could definitively reopen the title race. Le Classique, as the challenge between Marseille and Psg is called, has rarely staked such important points in the past seasons. One only has to take a look at the standings to realise this.
Between the two teams, respectively the second and first force in Ligue 1, there is a five-point difference. It looked like Mbappé and co.’s antagonist was supposed to be Lens, but the Giallorossi have been on a worrying decline over the past month. Igor Tudor’s line-up took advantage of this, which, after having overcome a period of crisis, came back to believe in the comeback. This was due above all to the 2-1 victory in the Coupe de France on 8 February, breaking a 12-year curse: Marseille had not beaten the Capitoline side at the Velodrome for a long time. Psg were beaten by a goal from former Atalanta player Malinovskyi after Sergio Ramos had scored the momentary equaliser. Since that victory, the Provençals have never pulled the handbrake back, winning two league games in a row against Clermont and Toulouse.
Tense atmosphere at PSG
Instead, Psg narrowly avoided what would have been their fourth consecutive defeat between the national cup (Marseille), Ligue 1 (Monaco) and the Champions League (Bayern Munich), by retaking Lille (4-3) in the final minutes at the end of a crazy game. Christophe Galtier, one step away from the precipice, was ‘saved’ by his two champions, Mbappé and Messi, who turned his former team around with two spells, allowing Psg to keep the gap on Marseille unchanged.
Galtier and Tudor
The situation, according to rumours coming out of Paris, remains very tense in the reigning champions’ dressing room. Tudor will have to do without Mbemba, who is disqualified, while Galtier will be without two star players, Neymar and Hakimi, both injured.
The Prediction
Marseille arrive at this challenge in high spirits: three weeks ago they realised that beating Psg is not impossible. The Parisians, on the other hand, cannot be serene: the feeling is that the coach will stake everything on the next three challenges: after Marseille and Nantes, he will be called upon to make a difficult comeback at home against Bayern Munich in the Champions League. It cannot be ruled out that Tudor’s men will avoid defeat in a match that, as in the cup, should guarantee at least three goals in total.
The Marseille v PSG matchday squad
- MARSEILLE (3-4-2-1): Pau Lopez; Balerdi, Bailly, Kolasinac; Clauss, Rongier, Veretout, Nuno Tavares; Malinovskyi, Guendouzi; Sanchez.
- PSG (5-3-2): Donnarumma; Mukiele, Sergio Ramos, Marquinhos, Kimpembe, Nuno Mendes; Fabian Ruiz, Verratti, Vitinha; Messi, Mbappé.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 2-1
