'They represent power and I don't like that' - Roberto De Zerbi claims he joined Marseille 'to beat PSG' in bombastic tirade after Classique win

Marseille stunned PSG with a 1-0 victory on Monday night, thanks to Aguerd’s early strike in the fifth minute. It was their first home league win over their fiercest rivals since 2011, ending a near decade-and-a-half of frustration in Le Classique. The result carried extra weight after their Champions League defeat to Real Madrid, marking a quick bounce-back.

Speaking to Ligue 1+ after the match, De Zerbi revealed the emotional significance of the result: "I told [president] Pablo Longoria that one of the reasons I wanted to come here was to beat PSG, because they are stronger. They represent power and I don't like power. So I was looking forward to this evening. But it doesn't change anything, we only won one match and took three points."

He added: "I'm happy for my players, for the club, for everyone who brought me here, Longoria and [director Medhi] Benatia, and for all the people of Marseille. I was born a fan, so I know that the fans have already played this kind of match for a week. We're going to give them a good week. The same goes for [owner] Frank McCourt, who told me that this was the first match he had won here against PSG."

For Marseille, the win represents more than just three points. Les Parisiens’ dominance since QSI’s takeover has made victories in Le Classique rare, and this success reaffirms OM’s competitive credentials under De Zerbi. It also gives Marseille momentum in Ligue 1, where breaking PSG’s stranglehold has been an ambition for years.

Marseille will now look to build on this landmark triumph when they face Strasbourg next weekend. PSG, who tasted their first defeat of the season, will be aiming to regroup quickly as they prepare to meet Auxerre.