Paris Saint Germain will be up against Marseille in the Ligue 1 at the Parc des Princes on 18th April. The latest edition of Le Classique will be a top-of-the-table affair between two sides who are ranked first and second respectively. PSG have a 12-point lead over Marseille before heading into the game.
PSG suffered heartbreak in Europe against Real Madrid in the previous round of the Champions League and they were forced to watch their European competitors battle for places in the final four this week. However, they are the runaway league leaders in France and another title is just a matter of time for the Parisian club.
The domestic push is gathering pace once again and Mauricio Pochettino’s side have been in ruthless form since the return from international break. PSG put five goals past Lorient earlier this month and they then went one better and topped themselves by smashing six goals against Clermont away from home.
Although it is arriving towards the late stages of the season, PSG’s famed attacking trio of Kylian Mbappe, Neymar and Lionel Messi are finally starting to click. In the last match, both Mbappe and Neymar netted hattricks while the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner set up three goals in the match.
While Messi has attracted criticism for his lack of goals in his maiden Ligue 1 season, he has made up for it by racking up plenty of assists for his teammates. He registered three assists in a match for the second time this season and is only behind his Parisian teammate Mbappe at the top of the assist charts in Ligue 1.
With only seven matches left to play this season, Les Parisiens have a 12-point lead over their rivals in second place and it will take more than a calamitous end for them to be dethroned of the championship. Pochettino’s side can take another important stride towards the title by defeating Marseille in the 102nd installment of Le Classique on Sunday.
Despite being in the late stages of his career, timeless veteran Dimitri Payet continues to reap dividends for Marseille boss Jorge Sampaoli. He proved to be the difference in the Europa Conference League quarter-final tie with Greek side PAOK.
Marseille had held a 2-1 advantage from the first leg in the tie and they then made a 2000 kilometres journey to Greece. The extensive trip proved to be worthwhile though as Payet netted his 14th goal of the season in all competitions to confirm Marseille’s place in the semi-final of the UEFA Conference League. They will now face Dutch side Feyenoord in the final four.
The win against PAOK was Marseille’s eighth win on the trot in all competitions. They have also been steady in the domestic league, and are second in the table, not letting their European commitments get in the way of an elusive Ligue 1 title. However, a 12-point gap with PSG could be too much to chew at this late stage of the season, even if they have a chance to reduce it by three points on Sunday.
Marseille are three points clear of Rennes in third place and have a seven-point lead over Strasbourg, which practically confirms a spot in Europe, potentially the Champions League, for next season. Not only are Marseille on a four-game winning run in Ligue 1, but they also haven’t conceded a goal in their last two matches across all competitions. Jorge Sampaoli’s side would love to keep another clean sheet in this match.
They’ve been in tremendous form on the road this season. Marseille have collected 33 points from a possible 45 on rival turf in Ligue 1 which is the best record in the entire division this season. However only one of their last 24 Classique derbies against PSG has ended in a win.
PSG vs MAR, Ligue 1 2021/22
Date: 18th April, 2022
Time: 12:15 AM IST
Venue: Parc des Princes, Paris
FORM GUIDE:
Paris Saint Germain Ligue 1 form:
- W-L-W-L-W-W
Paris Saint Germain form (all competitions):
- L-L-W-L-W-W
Marseille Ligue 1 form:
- D-L-W-W-W-W
Marseille form (all competitions):
- W-W-W-W-W-W
HEAD-TO-HEAD:
Paris Saint Germain wins: 31
Draws: 11
Marseille wins: 12
TEAM NEWS:
Paris Saint Germain Team News: PSG suddenly find themselves without the services of a whole host of players. The treatment room appears to be at full capacity once again. Midfielders Leandro Paredes and Julian Draxler are set to miss the remainder of the season after getting operated on. They will also be kept company by Ander Herrera, Ismael Gharbi, Layvin Kurzawa, and Abdou Diallo in the medical room.
The silver lining for Pochettino is that Angel Di Maria and Keylor Navas have both returned to training this week and are expected to be available soon. Even though reliable centre-back Marquinhos was rested for the win against Clermont in the previous game, he is expected to return for this important clash.
In the absence of Marquinhos, PSG saw Sergio Ramos partner Presnel Kimpembe in defence and the Spaniard became the latest superstar to be booed by his own set of supporters. The former Real Madrid captain is expected to sit on the sidelines for this match.
Marseille Team News: Meanwhile Marseille were also struggling with a number of absentees in the midweek UEFA Conference League clash with PAOK. Four were due to suspension as manager Sampali, Bamba Dieng, Boubacar Kamara, and Gerson will all return after having served their European bans for Le Classique.
Leonardo Balerdi and Konrad de La Fuenta are unlikely to play again this season. Meanwhile, Arkadiusz Milik continues to suffer from a hamstring problem and will not likely recover in time before making a trip to the French capital.
Dieng, Kamara, and Gerson are all expected to bolster the starting XI after returning on fresh legs. Given the magnitude of the clash, Jorge Sampaoli might also turn towards the difference-maker on his side Dimitri Payet.
Paris Saint Germain possible starting lineup:
Donnarumma; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Kimpembe, Mendes; Pereira, Gueye, Verratti; Messi, Mbappe, Neymar
Marseille possible starting lineup:
Mandanda; Rongier, Saliba, Caleta-Car, Peres; Guendouzi, Kamara, Gerson; Under, Dieng, Payet
Predictions:
Marseille have been on a remarkable winning run and despite playing in Europe and suffering from fatigue, they have not let that affect their league season. Therefore, their fanbase will be hopeful of getting a positive result at Parc des Princes which could open the gates for a late title surge.
However, PSG have been unplayable at home and have an extremely formidable squad. Most importantly, their star attacking trio of Mbappe, Neymar and Messi, finally looked like a well-oiled unit and will be expected to wreak havoc once again. PSG will be the favourites to win this match and take yet another step forward towards reclaiming their Ligue 1 title crown.
PSG vs MAR Fantasy XI No. 1
PSG vs MAR Fantasy XI No. 2
