Paris Saint-Germain – Olympique Marseille: Bruised Egos In A Strange Le Classique (4-0)

Le Classique usually offered up the promise of a title race, but with Marseille in self-inflicted turmoil and Paris Saint-Germain in the green shoots stages of its project, there was a different feeling to the buildup of the game. In its place was something more intangible but no less vital – pride. 

Tactical analysis and match report by Nick Hartland.

This was not the first time PSG had promised to build a project rather than an expensive array of stars, but perhaps this was the first time that they showed signs of keeping their word. There was not the usual consternation over the defeat to Nice with the team following up on the loss with what Luis Enrique called “an almost perfect victory” over Borussia Dortmund to open their Champions League campaign. 

Luis Enrique made one change to the team that beat Dortmund, swapping Vitinha for Bradley Barcola and lined his side up in an unusual 4-2-4 shape. Gianluigi Donarumma was in goal behind Lucas Hernandez, Milan Škriniar, Marquinhos, and Achraf Hakimi. In midfield, Manuel Ugarte and Warren Zaïre-Emery. Up front, Barcola and Ousmane Dembélé on the wings with Kylian Mbappé and Randal Kolo Muani as the strikers.  

Marseille were without a manager or support as they visited the Parc des Princes. A breathtaking draw away to Ajax was not enough to distract from the extreme off-field issues that very quickly swallowed Marseille this week. A derby victory would probably not be enough to soothe tensions but the issues would be forgotten… at least for a night. 

Interim manager Jacques Abardonado fielded a more defensive 5-3-2 structure than in his previous match.In goal, Pau López with a defense of Renan Lodi, Chancel Mbemba, Samuel Gigot, Leonardo Balerdi, and Jonathan Clauss. The midfield was Jordan Veretout, Valentin Rongier, and Azzedine Ounahi. In attack, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Vitinha. 

PSG came up against the low block and lost Mbappé

Marseille prepared for a night without the ball by defending in a low block, something their opposition had become accustomed to facing in most of their matches. It was a narrow shape from the visitors that looked to contain their hosts, by pressing from fullbacks Lodi or Clauss when the ball reached the flanks. The wing-backs rarely looked like forcing a turnover when they pressed, the objective was to restrict space and push PSG into recycling possession rather than progression.

This tactic had worked previously to frustrate PSG during Luis Enrique’s first two weeks of management, and it was a question of how well Les Parisiens had adapted since then. To disrupt this low block, the manager deployed an asymmetrical 3-3-4 shape to counter the low block, with Hakimi pushing up the pitch to create a midfield triangle and Barcola moving into the left flank to free Mbappé to drift across the frontline and into pockets of space. 

Third minute: Offensive sequence for PSG. Barcola recycles possession as the ball side is pressed by Marseille. Škriniar changes the tempo of the attack and triggers the combination play through the low block. Marseille struggles to react to the one-touch movements until Gigot covers to prevent Hakimi from entering the box.

This soon led to results, as Mbappé pulled towards the right wing where he drew a foul from Balerdi. Hakimi stood over the free kick and from distance left the net rippling and Marseille with questions over their goalkeeper. Even as the goal was being scored, Mbappé stepped gingerly, in obvious discomfort, and after the celebrations the winger received treatment but it looked obvious his night was over sooner or later.

Despite the goal, Marseille had been mostly successful in their aim of preventing progression into their box and could themselves unlucky to be behind so early in the game. However, they were not helped by their wastefulness in those precious moments when they had possession. Poor decision-making led to unnecessary turnovers which meant that there were limited opportunities for the visitors to threaten their hosts. 

When Marseille did compose counterattacks they were met with a fundamental problem in their team composition: their goal-shy strikers. Aubameyang and Vitinha were yet to score in the league for Marseille and looked to continue that trend. Vitinha’s record for Marseille was poor coming into this game, with four goals in twenty games, and the struggling number nine missed two huge chances to level the score. 

At the half-hour mark, Mbappé was finally taken off for treatment with Gonçalo Ramos brought on as a replacement, despite the change Luis Enrique’s side persisted with their 3-3-4 shape but without the rotation that Mbappé’s positioning afforded. Soon after the lead doubled, Hakimi shot once again from distance and hit the post, the ball rebounded onto López and fell unkindly for the keeper into the path of Kolo Muani who with an open goal scored his first for the club. 

Marseille were 2-0 down as they went into halftime, but the strange thing was that their tactics had worked well in the half to limit the opportunities PSG had on goal. The Kolo Muani shot was the only time that the hosts had created a clear goal-scoring opportunity and that was somewhat distorted by the fact that it was caused by the chaotic outcome of a low percentage chance rebounding into a dangerous position. There was an argument to suggest that Marseille should carry on with their tactics despite the scoreline. 

Marseille looked to press and to press badly 

The second half brought a complete rethink in how Marseille would approach the half, with Ounahi and Vitinha brought off for Iliman Ndiaye and Amine Harit, signaling that Les Phocéens were now looking to press in a similar structure to how they played against Ajax. 

Marseille pressed from the front with Aubameyang and Ndiaye man-marking the center-backs, while Harit dropped back to follow Ugarte and prevent an easy pass into midfield. Against Ajax, this was designed to force the Dutch side out wide and into a pressing trap, but in this game, there was no plan behind the shape and no trap behind the press meaning that PSG was provided with the one thing that had been restricted so far in the game: space. 

46th minute: Marseille presses PSG’s buildup play. Ndiaye moves to place Hakimi in the cover shadow and Hakimi uses a dummy movement to create a new passing lane. The pass easily finds Hakimi through the press and the fullback is in space to carry the ball up the pitch. 

PSG after a minute against this system played through the press and scored their third of the night, as Ramos finally found the net for his new club. It was obvious the game was over, Marseille could not resort back to their old system and the new one was playing directly into PSG’s strengths. Les Parisiens throughout the night began to enjoy success progressing the ball rapidly through the lines as Marseille could not get close to threatening their build-up. 

A fourth goal late in the second half and on the counter-attack simply added to Marseille’s miserable week and demonstrated the wealth of talent within this PSG attack. Kolo Muani’s run and perfectly weighted pass opened up the goal for Ramos who dinked his shot delicately over López, the two strikers working in perfect tandem to deliver a brilliant victory over their bitter rivals. 

Thoughts, #PSG fans?#PSGOM pic.twitter.com/T8hW7HLdCR

— Between The Posts (@BetweenThePosts) September 25, 2023

Takeaways 

Each week PSG looks more like a Luis Enrique side with the manager stating afterwards that this was their “most complete performance”, and despite the team finishing the weekend in third it will be hard to see how they will not end the campaign with another Ligue 1 title. The project will still have growing pains as is usual with any project, but there is something exciting developing in the capital. The biggest worry for now will be the injury status of Mbappé, especially with an important match in the Champions League away to Newcastle soon approaching. 

Under their former manager Marcelino, Marseille conceded six goals in seven games, in the two games without him at the helm they have let in seven. This was a bruising match, and the performance only adds to the general sense of malaise at the club. The search for a new manager is paramount, and until then Marseille will be lucky if they do not drift further away from the European places. 

Use the arrows to scroll through all available match plots. Click to enlarge.
Check the match plots page for plots of other matches.