Amid the backdrop of perennial Kylian Mbappe-related drama, Paris Saint-Germain welcome Marseille to the Parc des Princes for the 103rd instalment of Le Classique on Sunday night.
Les Parisiens remain top of the Ligue 1 table despite being held to a 0-0 draw by Reims last week, while Igor Tudor's side have slipped to third after suffering a shock 2-1 loss to Ajaccio.
Match preview
© Reuters
Barely a month goes by where fresh revelations do not threaten to tarnish PSG's image even further, and while multiple members of the club's core have denied claims that Mbappe is unhappy and wants to leave the club, the damage may have already been done.
The new batch of reports over the 23-year-old's future came just before he notched a record 31st Champions League goal for Les Parisiens in a 1-1 draw with Benfica, which represented a third stalemate in a row for Christophe Galtier's men after they were previously thwarted by Reims and their Portuguese opponents.
PSG have also been forced to deny claims that they concocted a social media smear campaign against Mbappe, whose on-field endeavours are paling into insignificance right now, but PSG need the 23-year-old at his explosive best if they are to retain their grip on top spot in the table.
The reigning champions are only one point clear of surprise package Lorient, who could knock Galtier's side down to second with victory over Reims on Saturday, but a return to the Parc des Princes fortress can help alleviate the sour mood stemming from Paris.
Indeed, PSG have prevailed in four of their last five top-flight fixtures in front of their own fans and are unbeaten in 26 since a 1-0 defeat to Lille in April 2021, but in contrast to the hosts, Marseille were able to recover from a shock domestic setback in ideal fashion this week.
© Reuters
An unfamiliar sense of dread encompassed the Orange Velodrome when Leonardo Balerdi's own goal handed newly-promoted Ajaccio all three points in a 2-1 Ligue 1 defeat last weekend, but Tudor's side had the perfect response to that unexpected loss in Europe.
Seemingly down and out in the Champions League after opening defeats to Tottenham Hotspur and Eintracht Frankfurt, Marseille are now well-placed to make the last 16 following back-to-back wins over Sporting Lisbon, with Matteo Guendouzi and Alexis Sanchez on target in Wednesday's 2-0 triumph.
The fact that Sporting ended the game with nine men was undoubtedly a significant help to Tudor's crop, who can move level on points with PSG should they prevail in Sunday's Classique, but their loss to Ajaccio presented Lorient with the chance to leapfrog them into second place.
Prior to the defeat to Ajaccio, Marseille had strung together a 10-game unbeaten run in Ligue 1 and have been the away-day specialists so far this term, winning each of their last three road fixtures against Nice, Auxerre and Angers without conceding a single goal.
Since stunning PSG 1-0 at the Parc des Princes to win Le Classique in September 2020, Marseille have gone four games in all competitions without victory versus the capital giants, but the time is nigh for Les Olympiens to end that hoodoo with the champions in disarray.
Team News
© Reuters
Already without Presnel Kimpembe and his hamstring injury, PSG have now lost Sergio Ramos to a firm two-match suspension after his red card against Reims, so Nordi Mukiele should join Danilo Pereira and Marquinhos at the back.
PSG's downturn in form has coincided with Lionel Messi's absence, but the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner is now back in training after his calf injury, and Renato Sanches's groin issue is expected to render him unavailable too.
Nuno Mendes will also be out for a little while longer after sustaining a muscular problem against Benfica, and Mbappe is sure to lead the line as he aims to do his talking on the pitch, most likely with Messi and Neymar in support.
As for Marseille, Tudor should only be working with one injury absentee in the form of Sead Kolasinac, whose thigh injury will keep him sidelined for another couple of weeks, but there are no other concerns in the visitors' camp.
Pau Lopez wrestled the gloves back from Ruben Blanco in midweek after the latter was given the nod for the loss to Ajaccio, and Tudor has some big decisions to make in the final third.
Amine Harit earned high praise from his manager for setting up Sanchez and Guendouzi against Sporting, but whether the 25-year-old has done enough to warrant a start alongside Dimitri Payet is another question entirely.
Paris Saint-Germain possible starting lineup:
Donnarumma; Mukiele, Marquinhos, Pereira; Hakimi, Verratti, Vitinha, Bernat; Messi, Mbappe, Neymar
Marseille possible starting lineup:
Lopez; Mbemba, Balerdi, Gigot; Clauss, Guendouzi, Rongier, Tavares; Payet, Harit; Sanchez
We say: Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 Marseille
The result of Sunday's derby could very well hinge on Messi's availability, and if the silky Argentine is indeed ruled out, Le Classique may not be much of a classic at all for the home crowd.
As eye-catching as Marseille's wins over Sporting were, they must be taken with a great pinch of salt given their opponents' lack of discipline, and a depleted Galtier defence can still hold firm to maintain their grip on first place.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Ben Knapton
