Ligue 1 – PSG – OM (2-1) / Paris anesthetizes Marseille thanks to Neymar and Mbappé, the VAR is still acting up

PSG wins a very dull Classic. Mauricio Pochettino’s team beat Olympique de Marseille (2-1) in a bizarre Parc des Princes on Sunday evening, thanks to goals from Neymar and Kylian Mbappé. Duje Caleta-Car had equalized for the first time, and the Olympians thought they would snatch the point from a draw when William Saliba beat Gianluigi Donnarumma late in the game. An achievement finally refused for an offside of a few centimeters, which will certainly make people talk, like the penalty awarded to the Parisians before half-time. The Ile-de-France residents now have a 15-point lead over their evening opponents and are heading for a tenth national title.

It was to be a gala evening. And then, finally, neither the atmosphere nor the quality of the match were there. The PSG Ultras have agreed to a strike of encouragement in response to the pitiful performances of their proteges at the end of the season. And it took a penalty from Kylian Mbappé and a disallowed goal from William Saliba at the end of the game to pull the Park out of its torpor and snatch applause. Paris Saint-Germain won the 85th Classic in Ligue 1 without convincing. Opposite, Olympique de Marseille showed nothing, chaining long sterile possessions. Both teams offered a soporific first thirty minutes. Fortunately, the goalkeepers showed up. But not in the positive sense of the term.

Difficult evening for Lopez and Donnarumma

The Parisians opened the scoring after a hazardous exit from Pau Lopez on a fine pass from Marco Verratti, which Neymar took advantage of. The Brazilian took the ball with his toe in an empty Marseille cage (1-0, 11th). This error will not fail to relaunch the discussions concerning the choice of Jorge Sampaoli to start the Spanish goalkeeper – who caught up with a free kick from Neymar (33rd) -, four days after the masterful performance delivered by Steve Mandanda in Greece .

The debate is also open to PSG. Keylor Navas available again, Mauricio Pochettino bet on Gianluigi Donnarumma … who got a hole on a corner. His missed clearance benefited Duje Caleta-Car, lonely at the far post, and very happy with the offering (1-1, 30th). This was the Olympians’ first concrete action!

The VAR had its say

If they did not offer much in the game, the Marseillais had the merit of creating danger on set pieces. Dimitri Payet, aligned in false nine in the absence of Arkadiusz Milik, deposited a wonder of center on the foot of Saliba, alone at the far post. The ball barely sent under the bar of Donnarumma (85th), that the hypothesis of an offside of the neo-international took on thickness. François Letexier finally canceled the OM equalizer for a few centimeters, at best a shoulder behind the defensive line of PSG.

Arbitration will be at the heart of post-match discussions, as a very severe penalty was also awarded against OM. On a pass from Neymar, Valentin Rongier deflected the ball with his thigh, which hit his elbow before touching the arm of Gerson, who came as reinforcements. After consulting the VAR, the referee, who refused Lionel Messi two goals for offside (40th, 45th + 1), designated the penalty spot. And Mbappé transformed the sentence (2-1, 45th + 5) after additional time.

His 21st achievement in the league gives PSG a 15-point lead, which is getting closer to a tenth national title, which would make the Parisian club the equal of Saint-Etienne. The coronation could take place next weekend in the event of victory in Angers coupled with a defeat of the Marseillais against Nantes. At the end of this Classic which will not go down in history, the Olympians are still ahead of Rennes by three lengths. The hunt for direct qualification in the Champions League is more open than ever.