Under the tutelage of Marcelo Bielsa, Olympique Marseille have experienced quite the interesting Ligue 1 campaign thus far. The only club to win the UEFA Champions League - back in 1993 - were flying high in the early stages of this season, only to suffer quite a few stumbles from December to February that had them, at one point alternating between winning and losing each successive game.
However, they largely appear to have gotten back on track, having responded from a 3-2 reversal to Caen by thrashing Toulouse 6-1, drawing Lyon in a scoreless stalemate, and then cruising to a 4-0 win over Lens prior to the international break. As a result, the hosts now are firmly entrenched in a three-way battle for the league crown as we head into the last two months of this season.
For French football fans, this season's race could not be any more exciting. Just two points divide Marseille from reigning champions PSG, with Lyon firmly in the middle, and last season's runners-up, Monaco are only five point back, meaning that the newly cash-rich side could still make a late push, as well.
Close race: Marseille could overtake PSG with a win on Sunday in Le Classique
Yet, behind the scenes, not all is well in Marseille. Reports of conflict between top marksman André-Pierre Gignac and Bielsa have been all over the French media over the past few months, which also coincided with the team's sudden dip in form. As the war between manager and coach wages on, young Michy Batshuayi has been quietly making his mark in Ligue 1. The Belgian international, who was eligible to represent Congo due to his heritage, has netted eight goals so far, including an impressive hat-trick in the win over Lens and added two more against Toulouse.
Meanwhile, PSG have had their ups and downs as well, but things have appeared to started picking up for Les Parisiens. A Zlatan Ibrahimovic treble of goals was enough to see them past Lorient following a loss to Bordeaux and Laurent Blanc saw some of the pressure lifted off his shoulders as he was successfully able to guide them past Chelsea en route to the Champions League final eight.
With a clash with Barcelona coming up, the French tactician will have a tough decision to make regarding his squad rotation. They do not have a comfortable margin for error and will be keen on making it five wins in a row since Blanc assumed the helms following Carlo Ancelotti's departure for Real Madrid.
It will indeed be interesting, though, to see how he attempts to deploy all his attacking options, with both Edinson Cavani and Ezequiel Lavezzi making no secret of their frustration with their roles and being overshadowed by the omnipresent Ibrahimovic in the centre of attack.
Bielsa will also have to contend with some injuries and suspensions, with midfield duo Nicolas Nkoulou set to miss out following a knee operation and Giannelli Imbula serving a ban for the hosts. As for the visitors, they will be pleased with the return of Brazilian defensive duo Marquinhos and David Luiz, and Yohan Cabaye and Serge Aurier could make the bench as well.
Given that this match, for the first time in many seasons, indeed looks to be a potential title-decider, fans and neutrals alike should expect this edition of Le Classique to be a tense one from start to finish.
Make sure you do not miss out on this eagerly-anticipated Sunday clash and more action by bookmarking LiveSoccerTV.com's Ligue 1 Multi-Platform Broadcast Guide for all things French football.
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