Valentin Rongier’s OM and Neymar’s PSG will do battle twice in less than two weeks, this Wednesday and February 26. Panoramic
DECRYPTION – Everything you need to know before the shock of the round of 16 between Olympique de Marseille and Paris Saint-Germain, this Wednesday evening, at the Vélodrome.
Where to see OM-PSG?
Penultimate match of the round of 16 of the Coupe de France, before Lorient-Lens Thursday evening (9 p.m.), this OM-PSG will take place this Wednesday at 9:10 p.m., at the Stade Vélodrome. One match broadcast at a time on France 3 et beIN SPORTSand of course live commented on our site.
The whole PSG?
Of course not. Christophe Galtier is happy to recover Neymar, Sergio Ramos and Marco Verratti, but Presnel Kimpembe and Nordi Mukiele are still unavailable. Above all, Kylian Mbappé, “best player in the world» according to Igor Tudor, is glued to the infirmary. Touched in Montpellier (3-1 victory), the crack of Bondy still has two weeks away from the field. “I’d lie saying it don’t change a thing for us“Slips the Croatian technician. For Renato Sanches, it will be even longer: injured against Toulouse (2-1) on Saturday, the Portuguese is probably out for several weeks. Fortunately, Leo Messi is there, very fit since his return from Qatar. Scorer and decisive passer on Saturday, Achraf Hakimi is also on his way to the World Cup. Tudor has fewer problems. He still has to put up with Nuno Tavares’ package, in addition to the suspensions of Eric Bailly and Lucas Balerdi. Amine Harit is out for the rest of the season. Last but not least, they had one less recovery day, having played on Sunday evening.
Read alsoFrench Cup: PSG fills up with Neymar, Ramos and Verratti for Marseille, Kimpembe still just
When was OM’s last victory over PSG in the Coupe de France?
1991. In fact, OM have only eliminated PSG once in this competition, in 11 confrontations. The last duel dates back to 2018, with a 3-0 victory for Neymar and company at the Parc des Princes, in the quarter-finals. The two teams have also faced each other twice in the final, two victories for PSG (2-1 in 2006, 4-2 in 2016). Finally, note that Marseille’s last victory over Paris at the Vélodrome, in all competitions and in this case in Ligue 1, dates from… 2011 (3-0, goals from Loïc Rémy, Romain Amalfitano and André Ayew). Since then, only one victory. It was in the league, at the Parc des Princes, in September 2020 (0-1), in the midst of the Covid crisis. Good news for the Marseille club? A draw can obviously be enough to pass, via the penalty shootout…
Read alsoThe notes of PSG-OM last October, at the Parc des Princes: Neymar scorer in cold blood, Lopez (almost) impassable
What state of form for the two teams?
Mocked at his debut, Igor Tudor has clearly found the right fuel. OM climbed to second place in the Ligue 1 standings, eight behind the Parisian leader, and remained on ten matches without defeat (9 wins, 1 draw) in all competitions… before losing to Nice (1-2) Sunday evening. Stoppage or simple incident? “We have to move on. The coach said it: you can’t win every match. You have to forget and go straight away“says Valentin Rongier, not hiding his ambitions for the end of the season, “qualification for the Champions League and victory in the Coupe de France“. For PSG, the post-World Cup is not easy, with an overall disappointing level and even some weight dropped along the way, with two defeats (Lens, Rennes) and a draw (Reims) in L1. Without shining, the men of Galtier remain on two sluggish victories (Montpellier, Toulouse). Above all, they are attacking a crazy month of February (OM, Monaco, Bayern, Lille, OM). “It’s very exciting“, exults the Parisian coach, native of Marseille, former player and assistant coach of OM.
Read alsoLigue 1: PSG, still no party at home before climbing to altitude
It remains to be seen whether his players will not already have a little head in the first leg against Bayern next Tuesday. “For them, the best way to prepare is to play well. It’s up to them to think differently… But I don’t expect a match where they will have their foot on the brakes, fearing injury. Precisely, they will put a lot of intensity in order to best prepare for this match against Bayern.imagines Valentin Rongier. And to add:What is certain is that it is a very important match for us, we are preparing for it as such, we will give everything. But I think they are preparing well for this game, it’s always special for both teams.»
Read also“No anti-Messi plan” at OM for Rongier, who does not hide his ambitions: “We want to win the Coupe de France”
Neymar, what story this time?
Recruited in 2017, the Brazilian is about to play his 10th Classic. Oppositions at the end of which he often made the headlines… Either because he split a goal (4 in total, 2 assists), or because he was expelled (twice, including a direct red card), or… because he was injured (2018, nine days before the return against Real in the 8th round of C1, he had to forfeit). All without forgetting the controversies, Neymar having notably accused Alvaro Gonzalez of having called him a monkey, before seeing… Neymar being accused of having called Hiroki Sakai “shitty chinese(2020). To see what awaits the 31-year-old Brazilian this Wednesday. OM-PSG, never a normal match, never quiet. Even less for him.
OM with its newcomers?
Probably. At kickoff or not, it’s to be seen. In any case, OM’s three winter recruits did not wait long to be called up by Igor Tudor. Recruited in early January, Ruslan Malinovskyi has already six matches in his new colors in the legs, the Ukrainian having even already scored his first goal. It was Sunday, against Nice. Arrived later, Azzedine Ounahi was only entitled to two entries at the end of the match. Brilliant at the World Cup with the Atlas Lions, that was enough for him to score his first goal in his first appearance, in Nantes (2-0 victory). The most expensive rookie in club history, at just over €30m, Vitinha played in the first half against Nice. Holder or substitute, he would be well advised to open his goal counter against the Parisian rival. What better way to get adopted by the public?
Read also5 things to know about Vitinha, the most expensive rookie in OM history
Remember that PSG drew a blank in the transfer window, notably failing in the Milan Skriniar files (he will arrive free this summer) and Hakim Ziyech (Chelsea did not send the documents in time). PSG without recruits, but also without supporters, the prefecture having decided to ban Parisian fans from traveling to Marseille.
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