Marquinhos’ Winner Seals PSG’s Tough Le Classique Win at Marseille
Paris Saint-Germain left the Velodrome with a hard-fought Le Classique victory on Sunday night, overcoming Marseille in a match that carried far more difficulty than the league positions suggested. Ferran Torres opened the scoring with a header for the visitors, but Angel Gomes swiftly brought Marseille level before Marquinhos turned in a loose ball following a corner two minutes later to decide the contest.
Marseille’s task became still harder during the closing stages when captain Timothy Weah was dismissed with around 15 minutes remaining. PSG held their advantage through a demanding finish to take three points from one of French football’s most charged fixtures.
Luis Enrique said the occasion at the Velodrome had required both physical effort and concentration, rejecting any idea that the trip would be routine. The PSG coach was particularly pleased by the improvement after the interval, when his side created more opportunities and exerted greater control.
“This fixture takes a lot out of you, but I am delighted,” Enrique said. “There were people who expected an easy match, but I never did. Playing Marseille here is always difficult. We played well, and our second half was stronger than our first. We wanted to raise our level and make more chances, and we did that. These points mean a great deal to our supporters.”
Marquinhos’ winner also carried personal significance. The 32-year-old Brazilian centre-back moved level with former PSG winger Lucas Moura on 46 goals for the Paris club, an impressive return for a defender whose priority on the night was helping his side withstand Marseille’s challenge.
“Winning here is always special, whatever the margin,” Marquinhos said. “There have been less complicated matches at this stadium, but we performed well. We had to defend too. They were second-bottom before the game, but they are a good side and made things difficult for us. We found solutions and got the victory.”
He added that the rivalry demands a result above all else, saying PSG’s aim in Le Classique is not simply to take part but to win, whether in Marseille or Paris. On his equalising Lucas Moura’s club total, Marquinhos said 46 goals was “a great number”, particularly because goals are difficult to come by and his contribution had helped deliver a victory at the Velodrome.
The result reduced PSG’s gap to Ligue 1 leaders Monaco to five points before the international break. Enrique’s team resume their domestic campaign on October 10, when promoted Le Mans visit the Parc des Princes. Marseille remain in the relegation zone and have three weeks to regroup before travelling to Troyes the following day.
