Ligue 1 leaders Paris Saint-Germain face a challenging trip to the Mediterranean coast on Sunday, where their fierce rivals Marseille, featuring the emerging English talents Mason Greenwood and Jonathan Rowe, await with anticipation.While French football boasts several heated rivalries, the clash between Marseille and PSG stands out. Marseille holds a historic advantage, having won the old European Cup, a feat PSG have yet to match, coming closest when they lost the Champions League final in 2020.PSG’s recent European form has been underwhelming; they settled for a draw against PSV Eindhoven this week, following a 2-0 defeat at Arsenal. This leaves their Champions League campaign off to a slow start.Marseille, just three points behind the Ligue 1 leaders, have gained momentum under former Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi.”We are Marseille, and we want to win these big matches. We have the ambition,” De Zerbi stated confidently on Friday. “I want the players to be courageous and go out there to win.”Marseille vs PSG is the only ‘Le Classique’ you don’t wanna miss this weekend 🤭🇫🇷🍿 pic.twitter.com/bcddvi0shS— Ligue 1 English (@Ligue1_ENG) October 24, 2024 PSG may seem less formidable without the famous attacking trio of Neymar, Lionel Messi, and Kylian Mbappé, who have all moved on from the club.Mason Greenwood’s move to France has attracted attention, as the 23-year-old former Manchester United striker seeks to revive his career after charges of attempted rape were dropped, though they still cast a shadow.De Zerbi, however, is focused on Greenwood’s potential.”I expect even more from him. He’s unique, very talented, but he has room to become a more well-rounded team player. He needs to improve his work off the ball, but he’s young, humble, and eager to learn. He can become a complete player.”Greenwood has already scored six goals this season, showing flashes of brilliance that make him an early contender for Ligue 1 Player of the Year. Meanwhile, England Under-21 international Jonathan Rowe, on loan from Norwich, captured attention with a dramatic 95th-minute winner in a 3-2 comeback victory at Lyon in September.##EDITORS_CHOICE##Despite Marseille’s resurgence, PSG hold an impressive 27-match unbeaten streak in away Ligue 1 matches. Notably, this run began with a 3-0 victory against Marseille on February 26, 2023. However, PSG’s supporters will be absent from the Stade Velodrome, as they are banned due to homophobic chants directed at Marseille’s fans.Bradley Barcola, the league’s top scorer with seven goals, continues to shine and even netted for France in their recent Nations League match, contributing to a 4-1 victory over Israel.Elsewhere on the south coast, Nice, partially owned by Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, are set to face local rivals Monaco, who have started the season strongly, matching PSG’s 20-point tally. Nice, meanwhile, will be aiming to improve on their current 10 points.Meanwhile, Bruno Genesio’s Lille side is coming off a significant 3-1 Champions League victory over Atletico Madrid. They now turn their attention back to Ligue 1, where they will face Will Still’s unbeaten Lens.If they can criticize Cristiano Ronaldo, no one is safe, including meLIGUE 1 – MATCHDAY 9Friday 21.45: (1.50) Rennes (4.10) Le Havre (7.00)Saturday18.00: (2.50) Angers (3.35) Saint-Etienne (3.05)20.00: (2.20) Reims (3.40) Brest (3.30)Sunday 16.00: (1.50) Olympique Lyon (4.40) Auxerre (6.50)18.00: (3.35) Montpellier (3.50) Toulouse (2.25)18.00: (3.30) Nice (3.50) Monaco (2.30)18.00: (1.85) Strasbourg (3.50) Nantes (4.40)21.45: (3.80) Olympique Marseille (3.60) PSG (2.05)***odds are subject to change***
