OM and PSG meet in the round of 16 of the Coupe de France on Wednesday at the Stade Vélodrome.
Looks like a final. Olympique de Marseille welcomes Paris Saint-Germain, Wednesday February 8, at the Vélodrome stadium, in the round of 16 of the Coupe de France (live at 9:10 p.m. on France 3 and france.tv). A clash between two great rivals of French football which promises a good show but which will leave one of the two contenders for the final victory on the floor. Franceinfo: sports explains why you should not miss this poster.
This is the clash between the first two in Ligue 1
Respectively first and second in Ligue 1, Parisians and Marseillais represent what is best in France. PSG, leader (54 points), have eight points ahead of their Olympian runner-up (46 points). In history, the PSG and its ten titles of champion of France (tied with Saint-Etienne) throne on the first step of the podium with a length in advance on the OM. More than ever determined to clinch a place in the Champions League, or even to titillate the leader, the Olympians are ambitious. Since the 90s, this confrontation has had a name: the Classic, in reference to the Clasico which opposes Real Madrid to FC Barcelona in Spain. It will be the 104th in history, while the two teams have already faced each other this season (1-0 victory for PSG) and they will meet again on February 26, during the 25th day of Ligue 1. A final before the hour in an enclosure with closed counters but without Parisian supporters, prohibited from moving.
Because Paris wants to start its series of all dangers
This first real test will say more about the state of form of PSG. With the return of Verratti, Neymar and Ramos, this trip to Marseille launches the busy schedule for Parisians who are tackling a month of all dangers. After this cutthroat match in the Coupe de France, there will be a trip to Monaco, the reception of Bayern Munich in the knockout stages of the Champions League, that of Lille then again a trip to Marseille. Not necessarily reassuring on the ground, especially in the absence of Kylian Mbappé, injured, a victory on Marseille soil would put Christophe de Galtier’s men in confidence.
Because OM can put an end to the negative spiral at the Vélodrome
2011. Marseille’s last victory in their lair against the Parisians dates back twelve years. Of the last nine receptions, the Marseillais have conceded six defeats for only three draws. A victory for OM would therefore be a feat for Igor Tudor’s men. Especially since if Rennes and Lens brought down PSG in early January, they are the only two teams to have beaten it this season, in all competitions. And OM have only beaten Paris once (at the Parc des Princes in 2020) in the last 26 meetings between the two teams.
Because the Cup is part of the DNA of both clubs
For either side, a defeat at this stage will be bittersweet. Each of the two technicians, Christophe Galtier and Igor Tudor, aims to bring the trophy back to the already well-stocked cupboard of his club. Eliminated in the round of 16 by Nice on penalties last year, PSG remains at the top of the competition’s list, with 14 French Cups. “To win you have to beat everyone. When we are Paris Saint-Germain, we have the ambition to win this competition“, declared Christophe Galtier after the match won against Pays de Cassel (7-0), in the previous round. Second on the list (10 titles), lOM has been waiting for more than thirty years (1989). “The Coupe de France is an important competition that we want to win”, assured Igor Tudor in a press conference before facing Hyères in the round of 16. For the winner of the confrontation, the road to final victory will still be long.