Can Marseille stop the bleeding after yet another loss to PSG?

Paris Saint-Germain edges Marseille 2-1 in a tense Classique, leaving OM with a fifth straight defeat

Paris Saint-Germain secured a 2-1 victory over Olympique de Marseille at the Vélodrome on Sunday, extending their winning run to three matches across all competitions. For Marseille, however, the defeat marks a fifth consecutive loss, deepening the crisis at the club.

The win, following victories over Bratislava in the Champions League and Brest in Ligue 1, might suggest that PSG’s season is finally taking off. Yet the reigning European champions hardly impressed in Marseille, where the home side fought until the final whistle.

Despite facing a superior opponent, Bruno Genesio’s men delivered a coherent and courageous performance. But they still left the pitch empty-handed—their fifth defeat in six matches this season. The applause from the Marseille faithful at the final whistle may have softened the blow, but the standings tell a grim story.

After four straight losses, including in the Europa League, and with the clash against their old rivals seeming more predictable than ever, Marseille fans showed little enthusiasm for this Classique. The Vélodrome was not full, and a few banners protesting against owner Frank McCourt were unfurled. In a subdued atmosphere, Dimitri Payet, who kicked off the match, received the loudest cheers of the night.

Dembélé struggles as Marseille holds firm

Marseille, already in the relegation zone and second from bottom at kick-off, started well, aided by a surprisingly uninspired PSG. The home side, forced to cope without the injured Paixao early on, chased the ball tirelessly, but they remained in the game because Paris failed to make the most of their possession.

The best chance of the first half actually fell to Marseille, with Neal Maupay missing a glaring opportunity in the 36th minute. Ousmane Dembélé then wasted a header for PSG six minutes later, highlighting the shared profligacy in front of goal. At the break, the score remained 0-0, and the Vélodrome was once again proud of their team.

After the restart, Dembélé, clearly not at his best, blazed a shot over from the middle of the Virage Sud in the 53rd minute. Almost a year to the day since the PSG No.10 celebrated his Ballon d’Or, Marseille had beaten a PSG side that had their minds elsewhere. Could history repeat itself? Maupay spurned another huge chance in the 62nd minute, just before both coaches turned to their benches—which were hardly comparable in quality.

The turning point: Gomes equalises, Marquinhos responds

For PSG, Luis Enrique brought on Ferran Torres, the scorer in the World Cup final, while Genesio introduced Keyliane Abdallah, who has just 20 professional appearances to his name. Unsurprisingly, the greater talent made the difference. Paris took the lead through their Spanish world champion: a perfect cross from Désiré Doué, a perfectly timed run, and a flawless header from Ferran Torres (1-0, 66th minute).

But Marseille showed resilience. The much-criticised Angel Gomes pulled them level after a move initiated by a Dembélé giveaway, with Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg applying pressure (1-1, 72nd). The Vélodrome erupted, but their joy lasted only two minutes. Marquinhos, who cannot stop scoring, converted an excellent cross from Nuno Mendes at the second attempt (2-1, 74th).

Timothy Weah’s sending off in the 76th minute made life easier for PSG, who controlled the closing stages without ever truly killing the game off.

As the international break approaches, Paris will aim in October to climb further up the table and start looking more like the double European champions they are. There is still time.

For Marseille, 17th in the league, there is no money, no depth on the bench, and not many points either. They will need to find some—and fast.

By Marguerite Ndongo — Political and Security Analyst