PSG-OM: Is Roberto de Zerbi right to bury the classic?

Paris Saint-Germain is unstoppable. Sunday evening, at the end of the 26th day of Ligue 1, the men of Luis Enrique have, in fact, a little more confirmed their supremacy nationwide. On a small cloud after its historical qualification on the lawn of Anfield, the club of the capital – although flourished physically – thus ensured the essential by dominating (3-1) Olympique de Marseille, author of a successful but ultimately insufficient collective performance. Plusted by its defensive mistakes, the Olympian club finally returned arms to the band of Ousmane Dembélé, author of his 30th goal for all competitions for the occasion. A frustrating but generally revealing defeat of the GAP separating a qualified collective for the quarterfinals of the Champions League and a team as attractive as it is irregular.

Roberto de Zerbi announces the death of the classic, Luis Enrique replies

Present at a press conference after the meeting, Roberto de Zerbi did not hide his frustration: “We could have avoided three goals. The first, I'm going to make nightmares to Reims ”thus regretted the Italian technician before offering an astonishing outing to say the least on rivalry with PSG. “You call it a clasico, for me, it's not a clasico. We cannot compare the workforce and the economic force of the two clubs. The clasico is when there is a fight, you take a blow, you put one. I like pressure but it is not reality between Paris and Marseille. I may be crazy but I see it like that. There is no competition, really “. Invited, in the process, to react to the words of his counterpart, Luis Enrique delivered his explanation on the indisputable level difference between the two teams.

“The question is not that I want or not (a rival, editor's note). This is the reality of Ligue 1. We are 19 points ahead because my team was infinitely higher than the others but I see the teams playing in Europe and they compete the best. Lille was in the Champions League at a very high level. Brest was unlucky to play against us in eighth. Brest could have eliminated a lot of high -level teams. I do not know why there is this tendency to depreciate the French teams. I don't know. What I know is that our version is very high. We could compete in any championship, English, Spanish … without any problem, facing any rival and we demonstrate it. I would even say more in these championships our performance would still be superior because our regularity is one of our big strengths ”confided the native of Gijon before fully assuming jealousy caused by such domination.

“There are no doubts that PSG is a team that has great economic potential and it is something that I like, being able to access any player, it would not be missing that it bothers me. To those who don't like it, too bad, it's football. We want to be competitive to write the story and beat the best teams. For that, it takes money, players and a good idea for a game and it is our project. Of course many are jealous when they see the difference but the world of football is thus done. The powerful financial teams dominate and this is our objective: to dominate in France as in Europe. We will see if we will get there ”. After this remote weapon pass between the two technicians, a question remains however: is Roberto de Zerbi right to bury the classic?

Yes: rivalry no longer exists

It is a secret of Polichinelle, but for several years now, the domination of PSG on the sporting plan has been indisputable, which has been since the start of the QSI era. Nothing better than encrypted data to illustrate this phenomenon. For example, during the last 7 Ligue 1 games, Paris Saint-Germain pocketed 7 victories with an exemplary detailed record. Indeed, Parisians display a total of 18 goals scored for only 2 small goals conceded. The Marseillais nevertheless have a small consolation batch with this engraved date of October 24, 2021, where they pocketed a draw in Ligue 1 (0-0), on the lawn of the Vélodrome under the leadership of Jorge Sampaoli with in particular the expulsion of Achraf Hakimi. And obviously, hard to forget for the Marseille supporters, this wonderful evening of February 8, 2023, where Olympique de Marseille eliminated Paris Saint-Germain in the 8th finals of the Coupe de France with Igor Tudor.

“”We cannot compare the workforce and economic force of the two clubs». Another point which seems obvious when we analyze the declaration of Roberto de Zerbi: the financial overpower of PSG, which no longer really has a rival in the elite of French football. Without a star world known as in the past, PSG new version under Luis Enrique has, despite everything, 19 points ahead and is already almost assured of pocket a 13th title of champion of France to establish its domination over history against AS Saint-Etienne, Olympique de Marseille, FC Nantes or AS Monaco. How to compete in front of a team that pays 70 million euros in the middle of winter transfer window to afford KHVICHA KVARATSKHELIA, while the duo Pablo Longoria – Medhi Benatia must fight to convince and persuade Adrien Rabiot, Mason Greenwood, Pierre -Emile Højbjerg or ISMAël Bennacer Juventus, Manchester United, Tottenham and AC Milan to lend allegiance to a stable, certainly historic, but deprived of European competition.

In this sense, we can really contradict the words of Roberto de Zerbi or simply wait with more impatience other golden posters such as the famous Olympico against Olympique Lyonnais, the second and third largest city in France after the unattainable capital that Paris represents. On another scale, it is difficult to pout when Marseillais tear each other apart and excite on the derbies of the south of France against the OGC Nice and AS Monaco with the Capital Mission to take possession and thus control the entire Côte d'Azur. In the radius of the other major meetings expected, duels between LOSC and OM can easily attract more projectors in Marseille, as it announces decisive matches in the race for European places. Are you doubtful before this argument? Ask the Marseillais if they do not wait for meetings against Monaco on April 13 or Lille of May 4 with more impatience than this classic runs in advance on the lawn of the Parc des Princes.

No: the poster remains historic

However, and to realize the ineptient pronounced by Roberto de Zerbi better, would you imagine a scene where Hansi Flick would declare that the legendary Clasico would not be one in view of the financial difficulties crossed by FC Barcelona in recent years? Nothing is less certain. And the word is weak. Rivalries have always done sport and this is how the pages of the great legendary Grimoire in world football have written. Besides, it would almost be necessary to highlight an essential point: how an Italian coach – who grew up with historical jousts like those of the Delby Madonnina between the Milanese clubs, of the derby della mole opposing a wealthy Juventus and a torinino proud of his values ​​without too many pecules in bank, of the derby of Italia with Juventus and Inter, Derby Della Scala From the romantic between Romeo and Juliet, without forgetting the della Capitale derby with Roma and Lazio – can renounce the spirit of rivalry? We could also cite other examples in Spain with the Seville derby and that of Madrid, or even in Scotland with the Old Firm which continued to shine with its superb between Celtic and the Rangers, despite the demotion of the latter in fourth division during this sad 2013.

Rivalry can only be approached by the simple economic prism. Indeed, when Roberto de Zerbi minimizes this golden poster, a few minutes after a good fighting spirit of his players, he leaves aside 40 years of a relationship of “I love you either historic between OM and PSG. He also refutes all the work of Mr. Bernard Tapie, Marseille legend, who has always fought so that his domineering OM has a bankable duel for sale worldwide: Paris against Marseille, a geographic rivalry between the province and the capital. Two clubs. Two lifestyles. And even worse, from Zerbi, refuting this poster of Ligue 1, chosen the worst timing to release these words. At a time when the Professional Football League (LFP) is struggling to sell its product, between hacking, TV rights problems, conflicts with arbitration and internal clashes between leaders, the Italian coach had no right to trample a rivalry that has been carrying the French championship on so many years. Mr. de Zerbi, you are “Fuorigioco” as they say in your wonderful country. Let us return, finally, to conclude our debate on an essential point, namely the struggle between supporters, which continues to last despite the abyssal gap on the sporting level.

This classic is, in fact, much more than a simple football match. It is a question of pride and ego. By burying this rivalry, RDZ sends a daring message to a city of enthusiasts where OM has been at the center of the debates for almost 128 years. OM has weighed with all its weight in France and Europe. It is a global locomotive for Ligue 1. And the last thing that the Marseille people asks is to be reduced to a simple opponent worthy of SCO Angers or Le Havre (without lack of respect), when OM crosses iron with PSG. Roberto de Zerbi shouts on all the roofs of France and Navarre that his Phocaeans can finish in the 2nd position of Ligue 1, that they are able to make all the monsters of France bend, that they have the qualities to find the Champions League next September, so it will automatically pass through these long -awaited classics. We can also ask ourselves a funny question: why has PSG, for its part, always respected this rivalry since the acquisition of QSI? All foreign coaches, all foreign players, passing by Nasser Al-Khelaïfi and His Majesty Hamad ben Khalifa Al Thanii, in fact, said that this poster was the meeting not to be missed in the league. Why then RDZ would abdicate, what is more after the exploits of AS Monaco, LOSC, Montpellier, Stade Rennais, OGC Nice (in the Coupe de France), without forgetting the Lyon victories against Paris in recent years?