“When you arrive at a club, you quickly know which matches particularly motivate the club, the players and the supporters,” smiles Luis Enrique. PSG-OM is one of them. Paris receives its best enemy Marseille this Sunday (8:45 p.m., Amazon Prime Video), at the Parc des Princes, at the end of the sixth day of Ligue 1. A Classic which “becomes interesting again”, as Alain Roche points out, passed by both clubs . “The situation in the standings forces PSG to put in a great match. OM showed a lot of character in Amsterdam (3-3, Thursday in C3, Editor’s note). It’s a difficult week for them but I really believe in the extra spirit of the players. Afterwards, if they play at their level, the Parisians will undoubtedly win… But OM have been at the top of the table again for several years, they eliminated PSG in the Coupe de France last season. We focused a lot on the Olympicos (the Lyon-Marseille duel, Editor’s note), but the Classic is regaining flavor,” judges the Canal consultant. TRUE.
Since the 4-0 inflicted in… one half on the helpless Marseillais at the start of 2019, Paris Saint-Germain has often been stuck in the game, with even two setbacks, a draw and three wins by a small goal. ‘gap. There was also this 2-0 victory at the Vélodrome in 2021 and a demonstration, still in Marseille, in the championship last season. 3-0 success with a double from Kylian Mbappé and a goal from Leo Messi. A Provençal stroll which kept OM out of the title race and which allowed the Parisians, who were struggling at the time, to believe in a bright future. An illusion.
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Since then, Paris Saint-Germain has changed a lot, with 11 new faces, a new project and a new coach. “It’s obviously one of the most important matches of the season. However, we prepare it in the same way, but we pay attention to the emotional component. We have to be an intense team, but we must not fall into exaggeration. That can be the risk in this kind of poster,” insists “Lucho”, who will coach his first Classic but who has played in numerous Spanish-style Classicos as a player and coach. “It’s a special match. Winning this kind of match always leaves good memories for everyone,” explains the former Barça and Real player, who still lives at the PSG Campus in Poissy, while waiting to find accommodation.
Which Luis Enrique had the pleasure of seeing his players respond against Dortmund (2-0) on Tuesday, in C1, after a worrying setback against Nice (2-3). The Spanish technician can count on a fiery Kylian Mbappé (7 goals in L1) to make us forget the ineffectiveness of the others. “We all know his qualities as Mbappé,” underlines Valentin Rongier. You shouldn’t give him spaces, that’s where he’s most comfortable. But it’s not just him.” No, there are notably boys like Ousmane Dembélé, Randal Kolo Muani or Gonçalo Ramos, all looking for their first Parisian goal. Non-exhaustive list, while Mbappé scored eight of his team’s 12 goals in all competitions! “It’s a good concern,” swears Luis Enrique, assuring that “the other players will also have good statistics” and explaining that he aspires to see “KM” “increase” his own. That promises… He will also have to find the right balance in possession and transition. There is still work to be done there.
In all cases, it is especially on the OM side that the main uncertainties lie. And for good reason, the crisis which has just shaken the Marseille club all week against a backdrop of falling out with the supporters has notably resulted in the departure of Marcelino. President Longoria chose to stay. On the bench, Jacques Abardonado, not unknown in Marseille but a neophyte in these functions.
Luis Enrique therefore does not have a lot of material to prepare for the match… “All we can see from the opponents is often different against us, they play differently, they defend more or their attitude is different, notes the former Barça coach. We are therefore prepared for any situation. We expect them to repeat things seen in the last match but also to change their strategy. The greatness of a team is also knowing how to adapt.” In all cases, Luis Enrique’s PSG aims above all to impose its will and its possession game on its opponent. Admitting to having “ideas” and “several systems” in mind, “Pancho” Abardonado aims to “put (his) players in their (best) position” while practicing “offensive football” and “aggressive in the good sense of the word , like when (he was) a player. An entire program.
Like Rongier, Abardonado evokes the idea of arriving “without complexes” in Paris, even against “a big one in Europe” like PSG. “We must not forget that we have a quality group,” he slips mischievously, calling for “solidarity, desire and gnaque”. Remember that OM, despite an average quality of play – an understatement – under Marcelino, remains undefeated in L1. All for a total of nine points, one more than Paris. With a success, OM would be second!
It remains to be seen how the players digested this hectic week behind the scenes and in the upper echelons of the club. “It wasn’t easy, I’m not going to lie… Football put us back on the right path a little,” notes Rongier. Is it the right time to face OM for a PSG still getting established? “There are two options, yes or no,” laughs Luis Enrique. Against Ajax, it wasn’t a problem for them, they had a good match and could even have won. They are still undefeated in Ligue 1. I hope that we will see the best version of PSG and that we will be superior to our opponent, but they are a very high level opponent. Will the match be high level too?