Marseille vs. PSG, France’s awesome made-up rivalry

This weekend sees Marseille play host to title rivals Paris Saint-Germain, in a match not only billed as a potential Ligue 1 title decider, but also France’s biggest rivalry. Unlike other major derbies in Europe, it doesn’t have a hundred years of history, but Sunday’s edition is one of the biggest games in the world.

Le Classique wasn’t always as fiercely fought as will be the case at the Stade Vélodrome on Sunday. In fact, the majority of Europe’s major rivalries are older than Paris Saint-Germain themselves. They were founded less than half a century ago, and spent much of their early history trundling far behind the more illustrious L’OM. The south coast club scooped four consecutive titles from 1989, with PSG failing to add to their maiden 1986 crown until 1994. The French football landscape was static, and Marseille president Bernard Tapie was bored.

The solution came courtesy of a venture by TV company Canal +, who snapped up the Parisian outfit in a bid to create more competition and, of course, bump up their TV viewing figures. Their most cynical ploy came in cahoots with Tapie, who agreed to collaborate in generating a rivalry between the two clubs.

PSG coach Artur Jorge declared “we will crush them.” “It will be war,” added his midfielder David Ginola. The game was painted as a clash of the sophisticated north against the gritty south. In actual fact, that wasn’t the case: Marseille is about as gritty as French cities come, but its club nevertheless has support throughout l’Hexagone. It is the most popular club in France in regions as far north as Normandy.

But facts weren’t permitted to get in the way of a good story, and nor did they have to. The ploy worked. Not only did the game grab the nation’s attention, but PSG’s new owners found success on the field, too. Marseille won the Champions League in 1993, though within a year, the Parisians managed to win the Ligue 1 title for only the second time in their history. French football was competitive again, and, more importantly, had the rivalry to prove it.

Over the next few years, a string of action-packed clashes added to the emotion of the encounter. One of the most notable came in May 1999, when PSG netted twice in the final six minutes as they came from behind to win on home soil. Despite Marseille bouncing back to win their two subsequent games, they lost the title to Bordeaux by a single point. In 2006, these sides met for the first time in the final of the French Cup, with PSG again emerging the victors. In 2010 the fixture had its darkest hour: Marseille won away in Paris, though fan violence stole the headlines. Two weeks after the game, a PSG fan died from injuries sustained in the skirmish.

At times, it looks like Canal + and Tapie created a Frankenstein’s monster, but there’s no denying that Le Classique is now a derby with feverish history and passion. And as if that wasn’t reason enough to tune in, Sunday’s edition could prove to be one of the most important ever -- hopefully for events on the field, rather than those off them. Heading into the game in Marseille, PSG’s head Lyon at the top of the table by a single point. Marseille are only a point further back.

The Parisian club’s bizarre lapses in defensive concentration have seen them throw away far more points this season than had been anticipated. Were football matches only 45 minutes long, they’d be nine points clear at the top. As it is, things are rather tighter than they’d have hoped. Manager Laurent Blanc has also struggled to fit all of his best players into a cohesive starting lineup -- striker Edinson Cavani still doesn’t look wholly comfortable in a wide role, and rumors of dissatisfaction also encompass his former Napoli teammate Ezequiel Lavezzi.

Combine that with Marseille’s resurgence under Marcelo Bielsa and it’s clear that this title race could go right down to the wire.

A few weeks ago L’OM’s title race seemed to be on life support; under El Loco Bielsa it’s a question of when will things go pear-shaped, not if they will. He’s a revolutionary coach, but one whose exhausting intensity invariably takes its toll on his teams. Success under Bielsa must come quickly if it’s to come at all. After a bright start to the campaign, Marseille suffered a big mid-season wobble, and things threatened to come crashing down.

But the good news is that they have managed to get things back on track, notwithstanding a potentially costly falling out between the coach and the league’s third-top goalscorer, André-Pierre Gignac. Fortunately, young Belgian forward Michy Batshuayi has stepped into the breach with a series of outstanding performances up top, fast earning himself wonderkid status. He netted a brace in Marseille’s 4-0 win away at Lens before the international break, and could be a key figure heading into the final sprint.

France’s biggest teams at the moment tend to be disappointingly defensive. Second-placed Lyon have struggled when top scorer Alexandre Lacazette has been out. Monaco, Saint-Étienne and Bordeaux have all scored less than 40 goals in the 30 match days that have comprised the season so far. Thankfully, PSG and Marseille are currently bucking that trend. They’re two teams that are strong going forward and suspect at the back. Goals, at both ends, are their specialty.

Sure, their rivalry may not be as old, nor as organic others, but when the Vélodrome is packed and the nation gripped on Sunday, no one will care. This is a game that promises plenty of goals and even more passion. In sum, it’s unmissable.