France - Ligue 1
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Played
April 8, 2012 8:00 PM BST
Parc des Princes — Paris
Referee:‬ A. Gautier‎
Attendance:‬ 46252‎
 
6′ Jérémy Menez
André Ayew 60′
61′ Alex
 

Paris Saint-Germain - Olympique de Marseille Preview: Bitter rivals face off as Ancelotti's men seek top spot in Ligue 1

The biggest match in French football takes centre stage on Sunday evening at the Parc des Princes, with both sides needing wins to offset respective crises.

By Mohammed Ali

More On :  Olympique de Marseille, Paris Saint-Germain, Paris Saint-Germain vs Olympique de Marseille

PROBABLE LINEUPS



PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN


Sirigu
Jallet, Bisevac, Sakho, Maxwell
Sissoko, Matuidi
Gameiro, Pastore, Nene
Hoarau


OLYMPIQUE DE MARSEILLE

Marseille
Mandanda
Azpilicueta, Fanni, N'Koulou, Morel
Diarra, Mbia
 Amalfitano, Valbuena, Ayew
Remy

Paris Saint-Germain coach Carlo Ancelotti has various injury worries to mull over ahead of his first major test as trainer of the nouveau-riche capital club - the visit of bitter rivals Marseille where victory could see them top the Ligue 1 table should leaders Montpellier suffer defeat.

Clement Chantome is out with a hip injury, with Diego Lugano, Alex and Thiago Motta all rated as doubtful for Sunday's match for various reasons. In their absence will be Milan Bisevac, who deputised for Alex in last weekend's 2-1 defeat to Nancy, as well as Blaise Matuidi, who continues his run in the first team.

Jeremy Menez is also rated 50-50 to participate in the crunch clash, with Ancelotti forced to either revert to a 4-3-1-2 with Christophe Jallet moving to the right-hand side of midfield and Ceara slotting in at right-back. Moreover, Kevin Gameiro could fill in Menez's role, supporting Guillaume Hoarau up front.

Nene's public outburst in being dropped last weekend amid discontent in the dressing room has seen him offer an apology, and he should feature, with Mamadou Sakho and Maxwell returning to the side as PSG seek a first league win in four games.

Olympique de Marseille, meanwhile, have problems of their own. Confidence is down at the Provence club after a record 10 games without a win, with reports surfacing of a rift concerning certain players' workrate, which has seen the 2010 champions plummet to ninth place.

Souleymane Diawara is out for the season following knee surgery, with Rod Fanni set to move into central defence as cover. Alou Diarra was suspended for Wednesday's 2-0 Champions League quarter-final defeat to Bayern Munich and returns to the starting XI. Loic Remy was taken off shortly after half-time at the Allianz Arena, but is thought to have overcome his hamstring problem.

Sunday's Clasico will have a bearing on where the Ligue 1 title ends up in May, with L'OM hosting leaders Montpellier in another crunch game on Wednesday.


 DID YOU KNOW?
  • Paris Saint-Germain sit 2nd in Ligue 1 after collecting 60 points from 30 games.
  • Les Parisiens had ironically been held to a 1-1 draw with Bordeaux and lost to Nancy in the matches preceding the first Clasico. The same results have occurred this time.
  • Carlo Ancelotti has won only 45% of his Ligue 1 games since taking over, a stark contrast to Antoine Koumbouare's 63% before being sacked.
  • PSG have not kept a clean sheet against Marseille in the league since 2006.
  • Olympique de Marseille's woeful run of form continues, although they arrested their losing sequence with a 1-1 draw against Nice two weeks ago.
  • Didier Deschamps' men sit ninth in Ligue 1 with 40 points, having also suffered Champions League elimination in midweek.
  • Marseille thrashed their arch-rivals 3-0 in the reverse fixture at Stade Velodrome earlier this season.
  • OM have only lost one of their last six fixtures against the capital club.
  • Loic Remy has four goals in his last seven games against PSG, he also scored in the 3-0 win in week 15.

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Field Report
Reader's Predictions
Top 3 Predictions
  • Paris Saint-Germain 2-0 Olympique de Marseille
    18.18 %
  • Paris Saint-Germain 2-1 Olympique de Marseille
    14.88 %
  • Paris Saint-Germain 3-1 Olympique de Marseille
    10.74 %
Head to Head
France - Coupe de France ‎(FRAC)‎ Feb 27, 2013 Paris Saint-Germain 2 - Olympique de Marseille 0
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France - Ligue 1 ‎(FRA1)‎ Feb 24, 2013 Paris Saint-Germain 2 - Olympique de Marseille 0
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France - Coupe de la Ligue ‎(FRLC)‎ Oct 31, 2012 Paris Saint-Germain 2 - Olympique de Marseille 0
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France - Ligue 1 ‎(FRA1)‎ Oct 7, 2012 Olympique de Marseille 2 - Paris Saint-Germain 2
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France - Ligue 1 ‎(FRA1)‎ Apr 8, 2012 Paris Saint-Germain 2 - Olympique de Marseille 1
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Last Five Matches
Paris Saint-Germain
May 18, 2013Paris Saint-Germain 3 - Stade Brestois 29 1FRA1
May 12, 2013Olympique Lyonnais 0 - Paris Saint-Germain 1FRA1
May 5, 2013Paris Saint-Germain 1 - Valenciennes FC 1FRA1
Apr 28, 2013Evian Thonon Gaillard 0 - Paris Saint-Germain 1FRA1
Apr 21, 2013Paris Saint-Germain 3 - OGC Nice 0FRA1
Olympique de Marseille
May 18, 2013AS Saint-Etienne 2 - Olympique de Marseille 0FRA1
May 11, 2013Olympique de Marseille 2 - Toulouse FC 1FRA1
May 4, 2013Olympique de Marseille 2 - SC Bastia 1FRA1
Apr 27, 2013FC Lorient 0 - Olympique de Marseille 1FRA1
Apr 20, 2013Olympique de Marseille 1 - Stade Brestois 29 0FRA1
Odds
Returns: PSG £18.00 PaddyPower Sign up to Paddy Power for £250 in free bets
Returns: Draw £70.00 WilliamHill Sign up with William Hill for a free bet up to £25
Returns: Marseille £410.00 WilliamHill Sign up with William Hill for a free bet up to £25
Team News
Available Squads
30Salvatore SiriguGoalkeeper
6Milan BiševacDefender
33AlexDefender
17MaxwellDefender
26Christophe JalletDefender
7Jérémy MenezMidfielder
19NenêMidfielder
14Blaise MatuidiMidfielder
-Mohamed Lamine SissokoMidfielder
27Javier PastoreMidfielder
8Thiago MottaMidfielder
1Nicolas DouchezGoalkeeper
-CearáDefender
3Mamadou SakhoDefender
22Sylvain ArmandDefender
5Mathieu BodmerMidfielder
9Guillaume HoarauStriker
19Kevin GameiroStriker
30Steve MandandaGoalkeeper
28César AzpilicuetaDefender
3N. N'KoulouDefender
24Rod FanniDefender
23Alou DiarraMidfielder
7Benoît CheyrouMidfielder
40Stéphane M'BiaMidfielder
19Morgan AmalfitanoMidfielder
28Mathieu ValbuenaMidfielder
11Loïc RemyStriker
20André AyewStriker
1Gennaro BraciglianoGoalkeeper
50Djimi TraoreDefender
15Jérémy MorelDefender
26Jean-Philippe SaboDefender
-BrandaoStriker
10André Pierre GignacStriker
23Jordan AyewStriker
Players to Watch
Mohamed Lamine Sissoko
Mohamed Lamine Sissoko
Position: Midfielder
Squad Number: 0
Games Goals YC RC
0 0 0 0
The former Liverpool and Juventus midfielder is integral to the PSG side, and after scoring as captain in last weekend's 2-1 defeat to Nancy, Ancelotti must be hoping that the Malian can continue the gritty form last week. Marseille have been undone by strength and pace in midfield this season, a trait that Sissoko can use to full effect at the Parc des Princes. An industrious midfielder of the highest calibre, OM will need to shut this man out.
César Azpilicueta
César Azpilicueta
Position: Defender
Squad Number: 28
Games Goals YC RC
0 0 0 0
The 22 year old right back has grown into an established right-back for L'OM in recent weeks, and his exceptional ability has been highlighted in Marseille's unlikely run into the last eight of the Champions League. Azpilicueta has shown his worth, marshalling the likes of Franck Ribery well, and with Didier Deschamps hinting this week that he may exploit the young Spaniard's versatility, "Azpi" may just prove to be the World Cup winner's man to watch on Sunday.
Probable Lineups
Salvatore Sirigu 30
Milan Biševac 6
Alex 33
Maxwell 17
Christophe Jallet 26
Jérémy Menez 7
Nenê 19
Blaise Matuidi 14
Mohamed Lamine Sissoko 0
Javier Pastore 27
Thiago Motta 8
Steve Mandanda 30
César Azpilicueta 28
N. N'Koulou 3
Rod Fanni 24
Alou Diarra 23
Benoît Cheyrou 7
Stéphane M'Bia 40
Morgan Amalfitano 19
Mathieu Valbuena 28
Loïc Remy 11
André Ayew 20
Prediction
Arguably the two biggest clubs in France, both PSG and Marseille are facing times of crisis with rifts and poor performance derailing the sides' season objectives. Marseille are obviously on the worser form, and with a big week ahead of them, something has got to give. History tells us that when a wounded OM side head into the Clasico, they turn out winners. Sunday may just continue that trend.
Editor's Prediction
PSG 1
Marseille 2
Results
ALL MATCHES >>
 
Top Scorers
Player   Goals Penalties
Zlatan Ibrahimovic Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Striker
PSG 		30 4
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
Striker
AS Saint-Etienne 		19 1
Darío Cvitanich Darío Cvitanich
Striker
OGC Nice 		18 5
Bafetimbi Gomis Bafetimbi Gomis
Striker
Lyon 		16 4
Anthony Modeste Anthony Modeste
Striker
SC Bastia 		15 3