Marseille vs PSG: 7 of the Best Games in Le Classique's History

As the biggest game in French football, Le Classique has certainly thrilled fans with some exciting moments over the years. Though it’s only been around for 50 years, and recently hasn’t been as competitive as it once was, the fixture is still a must-watch for Ligue 1 fans every season.

You can find an overview of the derby here, but let’s take a look at seven of the most memorable clashes between Marseille and Paris Saint-Germain.

PSG 4-3 Marseille (1979)

Even though they’ve faced off many times since, the 1979 edition retains the record for being the highest scoring meeting between the pair.

After a quick opening goal from Marseille's Marc Berdoll, PSG equalised after just three minutes through Bernard Bureau. The game remained 1-1 until after half-time, when a goal from Mustapha Dahleb put the capital club in front. Armando Bianchi converted a penalty to then put the Parisians two goals to the good.

But Marseille refused to give up and fought back to level the game at 3-3 courtesy of goals from Robert Burguis and another from Berdoll.

It set up a tense final ten minutes, with both sides desperately looking for a winner. And to the home fans’ delight, Carlos Bianchi picked up the ball from long-range and fired in a powerful shot that nestled in the back of the net.

It was a worthy winning goal for any game, and PSG held on in the dying minutes, securing a win in one of the most entertaining encounters in the derby's history.

Marseille 1-0 PSG (1989)

This was arguably the encounter that established the real hatred between these two sides.

Both teams came into the game knowing that a win would effectively put themselves in the box-seat to secure the league that season. And with PSG president Francis Borelli accusing his Marseille counterpart Bernard Tapie of match-fixing in the build-up, tensions were running very high.

At a packed Stade Vélodrome, neither side seemed able to make a breakthrough, meaning that the away side was set to come away with a crucial point that would crown them the top-flight champions for only the second time in their history. But with just seconds to go, a 25-yard shot from Franck Sauzée caught out the visitors’ goalkeeper Joël Bats to give Marseille a huge 1-0 win.

With the northern club unable to respond before the final whistle, the result sealed Marseille’s first league title in 17 years, which would prove to be the start of a hugely successful era for the club.

PSG 0-1 Marseille (1992)

Before the fixture, PSG coach Artur Jorge proclaimed his players would ‘crush’ their visitors, while star winger David Ginola promised to bring a war upon their rivals. In response, Marseille president Tapie used the comments as motivation for his team and even pinned up the comments in their dressing room.

And as expected, the game was a physical battle, with both sides refusing to back down. Indeed, the defining statistic of the game was that more than 50 fouls were committed collectively on the field. Yet it was the away side who had the last laugh, with forward Alen Bokšić scoring the winner to secure the three points.

Now known as “The Butchery of 1992”, this match lives long in the memory of both sets of supporters.

PSG 1-2 Marseille (1997)

Having earned promotion back to Ligue 1, after being demoted due to the French football bribery scandal, Marseille travelled to Paris with a point to prove to their rivals.

And the visitors started perfectly, by taking the lead through Xavier Gravelaine’s opener. However, the lead would not last for long, as Jérôme Leroy equalised for PSG to even the score before the break.

With the game still tied, it seemed that a single decision could turn the game in the favour of either side. Unfortunately for many at the Parc des Princes, the crucial moment went in favour of Marseille, when PSG midfielder Éric Rabésandratana was controversially ruled to have fouled Fabrizio Ravanelli in his own box, leading to a penalty being given.

Up stepped Laurent Blanc, who fired home the resulting penalty to restore Marseille’s lead. This would prove to be the decisive act, as the south coast club ended up holding on for the slender victory.

Even to this day, PSG fans still believe Ravanelli dived for the penalty, and the incident has made this game one of the most memorable Classiques in history.

PSG 2-1 Marseille (2004)

While this match didn’t have the levels of drama or controversy seen in the past, it’s remembered mostly for Pauleta’s individual brilliance that won the game.

Not long after kick-off, the PSG star scored a stunning lob from an incredibly tight angle past Fabien Barthez to put the hosts in front. Everything went perfectly for the Parisians, who were dominant throughout the game, with Marseille a distant second-best.

After half-time, the Portuguese striker doubled the lead with his second strike, showing off his quality to the delight of the Parc des Princes. While Marseille did eventually score through Laurent Battles, it was merely a consolation goal, as they were deservedly beaten by their rivals.

It cemented the bond between Pauleta and the club’s fans, with his first goal still judged to be one of the best goals ever scored in the Classique.

Marseille 2-2 PSG (2012)

With both sides expected to compete for the 2012/13 Ligue 1 title, this was a highly anticipated clash for supporters all over the country. And remarkably, all four goals came in a seesawing first half which saw both sides take the lead at times.

Marseille striker André-Pierre Gignac sent the Vélodrome into raptures when his low drive curled into the far corner of the goal, putting the hosts in front. Yet their joy was short-lived, as a brilliant back-heel volley from Zlatan Ibrahimović drew the Parisians level five minutes later.

The imperious Swede wasn’t done there, bending a long-range free-kick past the dive of Steve Mandanda to turn the game around and silence the home crowd. Again, this lead wasn’t to last for long either, and Gignac rose to nod in Mathieu Valbuena’s corner to equalise for the hosts and make it 2-2.

Despite there not being any more goals in the second-half, this game remains a compelling watch, thanks to the sheer individual brilliance of both opposing strikers.

Marseille 2-2 PSG (2017)

Five years later, the Stade Vélodrome once again played host to an entertaining 2-2 draw. But this time, the match came down to the wire, and was a far more compelling watch overall.

Unlikely goal scorer Luiz Gustavo saw his long-range effort swerve past PSG goalkeeper Alphonse Areola into the back of the net, opening the scoring for the hosts. Much to the disappointment of the home crowd, Rudi Garcia’s side weren’t able to finish the half in front, as Neymar swept in to equalise for the visitors.

It took until the 78th minute for the next goal to come, and it was Marseille winger Florian Thauvin who tapped in from Clinton N’Jie’s cross. And it looked increasingly likely that they would hold on to a 2-1 win, especially after Neymar was then sent-off for a second booking after reacting angrily to being fouled.

However, there was still one more twist in this dramatic game to follow. With seconds to go, Edinson Cavani lined himself up for a 25-yard free-kick. And the Uruguayan smashed it past Mandanda, with the ball flying into the goal, sparking huge celebrations.