00:01Paris Saint-Germain, Olympic de Marseille, the showdown between France's most successful club
00:07and the only French club to have claimed Europe's brightest star.
00:11The intense sporting rivalry between these two giants of French football
00:14ignites a passion of fans and captivates an entire nation.
00:22In the capital's Parc des Princes or Velodrome on the Mediterranean coastline,
00:26fixtures of passionate showdowns, emotion-packed every season.
00:30Let's delve into some of the league classics played out on the Parisians' turf.
00:38Back to the 1980s and PSG under François Borelli is starting to establish a reputation in France and in Europe.
00:44However, the club faces competition from another in the city, Racine Club de France,
00:49supported by Jean-Luc Legardaire.
00:50That puts a strain on PSG's finances and hinders progress.
00:54Jacques Chirac, then-mayor of Paris, seeks a buyer to make PSG the capital's premier club.
00:59Canal Plus seizes the opportunity and makes the investment.
01:02Michel Denisot is appointed club president,
01:05a nomination that even Bernard Tappé, his Marseille counterpart, welcomes.
01:09The two men devise a joint strategy, pinning PSG against a resurgent OM
01:13to ignite a rivalry between the two powerhouses
01:16and provide the French championship with its grandest spectacle.
01:21We start in 1992 in a pre-Christmas gift for the fans.
01:24Third-place PSG hosts fifth-place OM with a game in hand on matchday 19.
01:30Raymond GÃŒrtel's men against the PSG side led by Artur George.
01:34In the pre-match, the Portuguese coach had declared that his team would dominate OM,
01:38a statement that was always going to ignite the tension.
01:41And right from the off, OM set the tone.
01:43Players from both sides going all out in every duel,
01:46the match turning into a number of personal vendettas.
01:55Eric D'Omeco, involved in every dirty trick,
01:58avoids a red card amid howls of home fan derision inside the Parc des Princes.
02:09But in the middle of this chaotic battle,
02:12Marseille punishes PSG from a set-piece.
02:15Alain Bocic finding the net in the 21st minute with his seventh goal of the season.
02:23David Ginola finds himself targeted by the Marseille defenders,
02:27fouled almost every time he touches the ball.
02:29Despite a few attempts in the second half, the scoreline remains unchanged.
02:34Marseille victorious with a 1-0 scoreline in a match
02:37that will be remembered as an absolute bloodbath.
02:4055 fouls committed, yet not a single red card shown,
02:43and a significant turning point in the history of PSG OM encounters.
02:48David Ginola was my designated opponent.
02:50He was the star, epitomizing PSG's flamboyance,
02:53whilst I was the tenacious little brat.
02:55Our duel was a microcosm of PSG OM clashes.
03:07Ten years on, both teams have undergone significant transformations.
03:11The show ready to begin with the artists taking centre stage.
03:16Ronaldinho has arrived in the capital over a year ago,
03:20illuminating the league with his genius.
03:21After a debut season where he netted nine goals and provided seven assists,
03:26he began his second campaign cautiously.
03:29However, this match was unlike any other.
03:37When he found the net in the 15th minute,
03:40his celebration was contagious.
03:43Even coach Luis Fernandes breaking into a samba
03:46that immediately became part of PSG legend.
03:52That night, Ronaldinho was unstoppable.
03:54Marseille's defenders resorting to fouling him
03:57to stop a player as technically gifted and powerful.
04:00So, when Ogbesh won a penalty in the 37th minute,
04:03there was no doubt about who would take it.
04:11The Brazilian World Cup champion extending the lead.
04:16In the 82nd minute of play,
04:18Cardetti was set up by Heinzer.
04:253-0 to PSG.
04:27The party now in full swing.
04:34St-Germain remained unbeaten at home
04:37and claimed the top spot in the Ligue 1 table.
04:39Having netted eight goals and provided eight assists,
04:42at the end of the season,
04:43Ronnie will leave for Barcelona
04:45to continue scripting his legendary tale in Spain.
04:50The Classic is also about players
04:53who've donned the shirts for both teams.
04:55Among them,
04:55Jean-Leroy,
04:56Gabriel Heinzer,
04:57Ebrard Cisse.
04:58However,
04:59in this clash,
05:00all Parisian eyes are fixed on Fabrice Ferrez.
05:02After two seasons in Paris,
05:04he'd switched to OM
05:05and professed his love for his new club.
05:08OM has always been the club of my dreams.
05:11It was seen as a genuine betrayal
05:13in the eyes of the PSG fans
05:15who welcomed him back
05:16with the utmost hostility.
05:18It spills onto the pitch.
05:20After a quarter of an hour,
05:21Sylvain Armand takes down his former teammate
05:23and is shown a red card.
05:25Something that was perhaps bound to happen.
05:29On the half-hour mark,
05:30Paul Letters showcases his sheer genius,
05:32a curling shot that leaves Bartes speechless.
05:35The Azores eagle spreading his wings
05:37as the host down to ten men
05:39take the lead with a goal
05:40that has gone down into PSG.
05:42OM legend.
05:46OM responds swiftly, though,
05:47and Laurent Batlez beats Letizzi
05:49with a well-placed shot.
05:55All square as the players head back
05:57to the changing room.
06:05Then, no sooner does Edouard Cisse
06:07come on from the bench,
06:08he gives the World Cup winning keeper
06:10in the Marseille goal
06:11no chance with that shot.
06:12And PSG are back in front.
06:28In the 74th minute,
06:30Ferez is about to take a corner
06:31when he's substituted off,
06:34leaving the pitch
06:35to a memorable chorus of boos.
06:37The Parisian fans exacting their revenge
06:47as their side claims
06:48a courageous 2-1 victory.
06:59In 2006,
07:01the allowance for Marseille fans
07:02is cut in half at the park,
07:04leaving them severely outnumbered
07:05by the host Parisians.
07:07Marseille's president,
07:08Pap Duf,
07:08sounds the alarm
07:09over this perilous situation
07:10and makes the bold decision
07:12not to allow his club
07:13to send the first team
07:14to the capital.
07:15It was a daring gamble for OM,
07:17who hold a mere two-point lead
07:19over their rivals.
07:20Accompanied only by a handful
07:22of substitutes hungry for game time,
07:24the reserve team players
07:25are making a leap of four divisions
07:27to confront the Parisian stars.
07:29But amidst the disapproving jeers,
07:31they leave the Parc des Princes
07:32with a hard-earned point.
07:35Here we go!
07:37Here we go!
07:40Here we go!
07:42In 2010,
07:44a whole new narrative
07:45as Marseille descended upon
07:46the capital
07:47in a position of power.
07:48Their sole objective,
07:49the title.
07:51Having been behind Bordeaux
07:52by a staggering nine points
07:54at one stage,
07:55now they had a golden chance
07:56to reclaim top spot
07:57if they could win
07:58at the home of their rivals.
08:00Guiding the teams
08:01are Didier Deschamps
08:02and Antoine Quamboire,
08:04two revered figures
08:05from their club's
08:06respective histories,
08:07both of them club legends.
08:13Hatton Benartha
08:14was born in the Paris suburbs,
08:15but it doesn't stop him
08:16from ruthlessly punishing Adele
08:18to score with Marseille's
08:19first opportunity
08:20of the game.
08:27PSG exerts pressure,
08:28looking for an equaliser.
08:30Stay Mandanda, though,
08:31in his element,
08:32thwarting all the Parisian endeavours.
08:35Then another former Parisian,
08:36Heinze,
08:37hits the woodwork,
08:38narrowly missing the breakthrough
08:39just before half-time.
08:49Just shy of ten minutes
08:50into the second half,
08:51Marseille capitalise
08:52on Adele's momentary lapse
08:54to double their advantage
08:55through Lucio Gonzalez.
09:04After that,
09:05Benoit Cheru steps forward,
09:07capping a Marseille exhibition.
09:13OMC's top spot in Liga
09:15and keep hold of it
09:16for the rest of the season,
09:17leading Les Olympiens
09:19to their ninth
09:20French championship title,
09:21even completing a double
09:22by winning the League Cup as well.
09:29October 4th, 2015.
09:31For over four years now,
09:32the capital club
09:33has been under Qatari ownership,
09:35bringing in such prominent figures
09:37as IbrahimoviÄ,
09:38Cavani,
09:40Di Maria.
09:42The Parisian armada
09:44dominates the league
09:44with a 12-point advantage
09:46over their rivals.
09:47Moreover,
09:48Paris Saint-Germain
09:48has secured
09:49seven consecutive victories
09:50against OM.
09:52However,
09:52it was Marseille
09:53who sparked the first fire.
09:55Vichy Bacuayi
09:56seizing the opportunity
09:57to defy the odds
09:58and breaking the deadlock
09:59in the 30th minute.
10:12The lead is short-lived, though.
10:14Just 11 minutes later,
10:15Marseille shooting themselves
10:16in the foot
10:17inside their own penalty area
10:18and Zlatan Ibrahimovic
10:20reigniting the clash.
10:221-1
10:23and then 2-1
10:24in favour of Paris Saint-Germain
10:25after a fresh foul in the box
10:26right before the half-time whistle.
10:28This time,
10:29the Swedes' 110th goal
10:31elevating him
10:32to the status
10:32of the club's
10:33all-time leading scorer,
10:35surpassing Pauleta.
10:36PSG going on
10:37to clinch the title
10:3831 points above
10:40their Lyon pursuers
10:41with Marseille 13th.
10:50The story of another clash
10:51unfolded in an unprecedented
10:53health context,
10:54with the clash played
10:55without their fanatical fanbases.
10:57With Abafi sidelined,
10:59PSG relied on the comeback
11:00of Neymar and Di Maria
11:02to the starting line-up.
11:03In just three seasons,
11:05this dynamic duo
11:06have amassed
11:07an impressive tally
11:08of 78 goals,
11:0959 assists,
11:10donning the Parisian colours.
11:12Such statistics
11:13bound to unsettle
11:14the visitors.
11:16Despite being shaken up
11:17in the game,
11:18Marseille find a way
11:19to respond with set pieces.
11:22Foyan Tuvas,
11:23stunning the host
11:24with a strike
11:25just after the half-hour.
11:31As the second half begins,
11:32Thomas Tugel's hosts
11:33are determined
11:34to find a way
11:35back into it.
11:46Marseille had failed
11:47to taste victory
11:48against the Parisians
11:49in their last 20 encounters,
11:50so they were absolutely delighted
11:52to finally end
11:53that unwanted run here.
12:05I say delighted,
12:07but the match actually
12:07ended in confusion
12:08with five red cards brandished.
12:22But for the first time
12:23in a decade,
12:24OM come away
12:25from the Parc des Princes
12:26with a victory.
12:27And at the end
12:28of the campaign,
12:29Paris Saint-Germain
12:29witnessed the title
12:30slipping away from them,
12:31an unusual sight
12:32in the QSI era.
12:34Meanwhile,
12:35despite the satisfaction here,
12:37Marseille settled
12:38for a fifth-place finish
12:39at the end of the season.
12:41Paris Saint-Germain
12:43against Olympique de Marseille,
12:44a duel of two teams
12:46vying for national glory.
12:48Irrespective of form
12:49or positions in the table,
12:50their clashes
12:51are always unpredictable,
12:52with the spectacle guaranteed.
12:54This fervent rivalry
12:55that turns each meeting
12:57into an event in themselves
12:58within a landscape
12:59of French football
13:00as a whole.
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