How to Watch: Le Classique - Marseille vs. PSG on beIN SPORTS
Marseille look to show same spirit against Real Madrid in Sunday’s Le Classique.
What a difference a week has made for Marseille. Seven days ago, the club was reeling from a locker room brawl, unplanned squad departures, and a damaging defeat to Lyon in Ligue 1.
Life looks a little brighter now going into Sunday’s Classique in Le Velodrome, after a morale-boosting 4-0 win over Lorient last weekend, was followed by a morale-boosting defeat against Real Madrid in the Champions League. And yes, a morale-boosting defeat is possible in soccer, after Marseille matched the hosts, and only lost out due to a contentious penalty call for Madrid.
As for PSG? Luis Enrique’s train keeps on keeping on. The European Champions are four from four in Ligue 1 and kicked off their Champions League defense in style with a comfortable win over Atalanta, despite missing Ousmane Dembele and Desiree Doue through injury.
This French soccer machine will feel confident of another Classique win in France’s fiercest grudge match but face a Marseille side that has come out of a rough patch with a spring in its step.
Monday Sept 22st: 2:30PM ET - Marseille vs. PSG live on beIN SPORTS
Ousmane Dembélé, Favorite for the 2025 Ballon d’Or, Misses the PSG vs Olympique de Marseille Clásico
Ousmane Dembélé, one of the top favorites for the 2025 Ballon d’Or, is not included in Paris Saint-Germain (PSG)’s squad for this afternoon’s match against Olympique de Marseille, a game that coincides with the highly anticipated Ballon d’Or gala in Paris.
The French winger is sidelined due to a left thigh injury, from which he is expected to recover by the end of October. This will allow him to attend the Ballon d’Or ceremony at the Théâtre du Châtelet, where he is a leading candidate for the prestigious football award.
Dembélé and Other PSG Nominees Absent from the Squad
PSG made no changes to the squad for the French Clásico, which had to be postponed from Sunday due to the risk of torrential rain in Marseille. However, in addition to Dembélé, Désiré Doué and Joao Neves, also nominated for the 2025 Ballon d’Or, will not be available for the match.
The presence of PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi at the gala has not yet been confirmed, though several French media outlets suggest he will accompany Dembélé if the player wins the golden trophy.
PSG Nominees Who Will Play Against Marseille
On the other hand, five other PSG players who are also on the list of nominees for the world’s best player will feature in the French Clásico and will not be able to attend the ceremony:
Achraf Hakimi (Morocco)
Vitinha (Portugal)
Nuno Mendes (Portugal)
Fabián Ruiz (Spain)
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Georgia)
Additionally, Spanish coach Luis Enrique Martínez, a favorite for the Johan Cruyff Award for Best Coach of the Year, will also be unable to attend the gala. The same applies to French goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier, nominated for the Yashin Trophy.
A Monday of Maximum Tension: Ballon d’Or and French Clásico
The PSG vs Olympique de Marseille match is considered the most important clásico in French football and coincides with one of the most anticipated ceremonies of the season: the 2025 Ballon d’Or awards, which could crown Ousmane Dembélé as the best footballer in the world.
