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FOOTBALL

PSG facing rival Marseille in Le Classique

The two clubs face each other Sunday in yet another highly anticipated Clasico at the Vélodrome in the southern city of Marseille in this 27th day of Ligue 1 championship.

French President Francois Hollande (C) applauds next to French Senate President Gerard Larcher (R) prior to the French Cup final football match beween Marseille (OM) and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) on May 21, 2016 at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, north
French President Francois Hollande (C) applauds next to French Senate President Gerard Larcher (R) prior to the French Cup final football match beween Marseille (OM) and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) on May 21, 2016 at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, north AFP PHOTO / THOMAS SAMSON
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Marseille has not beaten Paris Saint Germain since their 3-0 victory on the 27th of November 2011. All competitions combined, l’OM lost eleven times, and that’s including 10 in a row, and drew two ties in thirteen games. It conceded 27 goals, eleven of which were Ibrahimovic's, and scored only ten.

Monaco's 2-1 win away at Guingamp has given them a lead of three points over second-placed Nice and a provisional six-point advantage over third-placed Paris Saint-Germain ahead of Le Classique on Sunday.

So that adds pressure on the French champions who are travelling to Stade Velodrome without supporters and will face a cauldron of noise when they step out onto the pitch at the home of their bitter rivals.

Should Marseille win on Sunday, six points will surely be too much of a gap to bridge between now and the end of the campaign. A draw would mean a five-point deficit and even overhauling that would be considered unlikely.

Rudi Garcia’s team had nine point in the last five matches and three consecutive victories at Velodrome, so they want to break their negative record against PSG – without victory since 2011.

“Coming onto the field, there are only three points in play, but there’s a lot more to it than that," Garcia said. "The history of soccer has shown that, when Olympique Marseille and Paris Saint-Germain meet, it’s always something special. Our biggest advantage is that, playing at home, there’ll be twelve men on the pitch.”

A "red-hot atmosphere" - that's how right-back Thomas Meunier put it on PSG's official website ahead of the showdown clash.

"Having faced Barcelona before going to Marseille gives you more confidence," he said.

"It is the kind of match in which millions of people have their eyes on you. So there is just one thing to do -- work well on the pitch.

"I am really excited about experiencing my first Classique at the Velodrome. It is for the atmosphere at these games that you play football. It is true there will be quite a lot of pressure but that is part of sport and you have to live with that. I am really looking forward to it!"

Le Classique is always viewed as a must-win match for both sides but this time, PSG really needs a win. Because if they lose further ground on Monaco, they might not be able to recover from it there is a very real chance they will be unable to claw it back again.
 

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