Olympique Marseille – Paris Saint-Germain: De Zerbi’s Marseille failed on the big stage (0-3)

The famous Stade Vélodrome was set to host a special match between two historical giants of the French game with Marseille taking on Paris Saint Germain in the latest episode of the Le Classique. A tale which included several subplots and terrific psychology pitting two managers who have come from contrasting yet equally significant contexts.

Tactical report by William Sutton.

The Olympians were heading into this matchup on the heels of their most significant victory of the season, while Les Parisiens were regrouping after a challenging Champions League battle earlier this week. 

One of the many subplots was the rise of Mason Greenwood. After scoring his sixth goal of the Ligue 1 season against Montpellier, the former Manchester United forward was off to a strong start in French football. The 23-year-old had recorded seven goal contributions in just eight league appearances, following a stint at Getafe in LaLiga during the 2023-24 season.

Roberto De Zerbi’s tactical style at Olympique Marseille has captured the admiration of fans and analysts with its combination of high-intensity pressing, dynamic attacking movements, and clever positional rotations.

During the low buildup phase, De Zerbi organizes his team in a four-two-two-three formation. The goalkeeper steps up to join the backline, giving the wingers optimal opportunity to advance higher up the pitch. This setup allows the six players involved in building play to effectively navigate the initial press, while the five attacking players work together to generate scoring opportunities. Marseille will look to find the spare man between the lines and create third man combinations with clever up . . .