Matuidi and Verratti Lead PSG Back to Ligue 1 Summit with Marseille Win
Le Classique was hyped up as the biggest grudge match between Olympique de Marseille and Paris Saint-Germain in recent seasons, and Ligue 1’s most prestigious fixture did not disappoint. After an absorbing clash, PSG emerged 3-2 winners and remain top of Le Championnat, while defeat for Marseille could mean the end of their title dreams.
Andre-Pierre Gignac scored twice, either side of a stunning Blaise Matuidi strike, to give Marcelo Bielsa’s men the lead at half-time. PSG had also lost David Luiz to injury after 33 minutes—the Brazilian pulling up with a muscle problem after clashing with Marseille’s two-goal hero.
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However, Les Parisiens were undeterred. Manager Laurent Blanc’s men came out for the second and showed immense character and focus, equalising through Marquinhos and then taking the lead thanks to a Jeremy Morel own goal in the space of two minutes.
After that, the defending French champions sought to find a fourth to kill Marseille off for good but were unable to do so. PSG eventually settled for the 3-2 and made sure that their bitter rivals could not find a way back into the game.
Ugly scenes followed the final whistle, with Andre Ayew given a second booking for berating the referee. Gignac and Dimitri Payet also got involved, and Marseille can expect some punishment for their fans’ behaviour during the game—pelting PSG’s players with objects at every possible moment—if not their players’ comportment post-match.
Despite the late drama, Blanc was happy with his players and revealed to PSG.fr how much he enjoyed the spectacle.
"It's always important to win away from home, especially with seven games left in the season against a direct rival. Plus, it was Marseille and we all know what that means. We are very happy to have won, to have controlled the game, especially in the second half, and to have shown our technical superiority. It allowed us to get back in the game and we could have even have had more goals. It was a very open match, a great game to watch. The only negative point of the evening was the injuries to two of our players, because we are entering a period with a lot of matches.
"
A record-breaking 65,101 spectators filled up Stade Velodrome to create a boiling atmosphere, and they were treated to a fantastic 90-minute spectacle that served as a largely positive advert for Le Championnat and domestic French football.
PSG made the brighter start, going close through Javier Pastore after a sublime Marco Verratti pass played the Argentine through.
However, Marseille took the lead against the run of play through Gignac. The French international scored with a towering header above Marquinhos, meeting an exceptional Payet delivery to send the Velodrome into delirium.
Luiz pulled up injured moments later and had to be immediately substituted, replaced by Gregory van der Wiel, with Marquinhos slotting into the middle alongside Les Parisiens captain Thiago Silva. But before the dust had settled from that distraction, Matuidi had pulled the capital club level with a sensational bending effort with his weaker right foot.
A star with both PSG and Les Bleus, the 27-year-old was impeccable on the night. Matuidi showed desire and commitment of the likes that few of his teammates could match while also demonstrating his capacity for the lung bursting as Blanc’s men won the battle for midfield supremacy.
Before that, though, Gignac was afforded too much space by the PSG defence two minutes before half-time after Verratti’s poorly chosen pass—arguably his only wrong move all night—played Pastore into danger.
El Flaco, who was uncharacteristically poor in the first 45, put up little resistance to Alaixys Romao, and his interception found Gignac. The Marseille No. 9, likely playing in his last Classique with his contract expiring this summer, finished easily past Sirigu, and there was once again pandemonium at the Velodrome.
Pastore joined Romao and Rod Fanni in referee Ruddy Buquet’s notebook before the break, with PSG looking stunned to find themselves down a goal once again. The situation called for a reaction of champions, and that is exactly what the French capital outfit produced in the second 45.
Just four minutes after the restart, the visitors were awarded a free-kick on the edge of the Marseille penalty area. Zlatan Ibrahimovic—largely quiet up until this point—stepped up to take it and in unorthodox style, provided Marquinhos with a tap-in to atone for his earlier role in Gignac’s opener.
The Velodrome fell silent; and just two minutes later, jubilation had turned to consternation as Morel—under pressure from Ibrahimovic—put through his own net to hand PSG the lead.
From that moment on, the defending titleholders’ midfielders kept them in control of the game, with Verratti coming to the fore in close combat. The Italian picked up his now-customary yellow card but was otherwise superb and along with Matuidi, kept PSG’s grip on the game, even when Motta had to exit through injury late on.
Bielsa was unable to coax a response from his Marseille team with a couple of substitutions—including the introduction of the in-form Michy Batshuayi—and the hosts rarely threatened for the remainder of the match.
OM did have shouts for a penalty appeal turned down when the ball bounced up off of Marquinhos’ thigh and onto his hand, but it would have been a harsh decision had it been given.
Ultimately, the more experienced team won thanks to a strong show of character, and PSG are just the third team to win at Stade Velodrome this season. As for Marseille, they showed plenty of desire, but Bielsa’s limitations were laid bare for all to see.
The disappointing post-match scenes also detracted somewhat from an otherwise glowing example of French domestic football at its best.
Although not mathematically out of the title race, OM now face a tall order if they are to win their 10th French crown. PSG, on the other hand, have taken a significant step toward their third straight Ligue 1 title and their excellent record against their bitter rivals continues.
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