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PSG boss Blanc just seeks a win against Marseille

For the PSG and Marseille faithful, clashes between the two sides take on a visceral intensity. However PSG boss Laurent Blanc would rather deconstruct the theatre around the game. The former France international says league fixtures are really only all about three points. He admits his analysis is boring but says it's true.

Laurent Blanc's PSG lead the French first division going into their home game against arch rivals Marseille.
Laurent Blanc's PSG lead the French first division going into their home game against arch rivals Marseille. Reuters/Charles Platiau
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Blanc played down the hyperbole and hysteria around his side’s matches with Marseille stressing that simply three points were at stake.

The teams meet at the Parc des Princes on Sunday night in the latest encounter of "le classique".

Champions PSG go into the game top of the league with 20 points after eight games. Marseille are at the other end of the table in 16th with eight points.

“Its an important game for the supporters of both teams but as regards the league table, it’s about three points," said Blanc. “It might be boring to state that but it’s the truth. So the preparation is the same as it is for any game.”

Blanc admitted both sides would be affected from their midweek European fictures. PSG won 3-0 at Shaktar Donetsk in Ukraine on Wednesday night but did not arrive back in the French capital until Thursday morning.

“We’ve only been able to prepare for the Marseille match since Friday,” Blanc said. “It’s worse for them as they had to play in the Europa League on Thursday night. But we want to win in front of our home fans – not because it’s against Marseille – but because it’s three points and getting those three points will make all our fans happy."

A victory at the home of the champions would be a welcome boost for a Marseille side that is under reconstruction.

The side have won two of their eight Ligue 1 matches and are four points above the relegation zone. The Europa League isn’t offering any succour either. They lost Thursday night’s game 1-0 at home to the Czech outfit Slovan Liberec.

"We're in a delicate situation, we have a great team, a great club but we're in a period of rebuilding that's the reality," said Marseille coach Michel.

"Supporters expect a lot. But you need a transition period and we've only had a month," added the Spaniard, who only took over at the end of August after Argentine Marcelo Bielsa quit following the first game of the season. "This Marseille is different given that the team has lost some leaders and its coach, who was also a leader.

"We have to rebuild. The club has changed half its squad and one week after the start of the season, the coach was no longer there."

Experienced midfielder Lassana Diarra pleaded with fans, disgruntled at successive home defeats to relative minnows in Angers and Liberec, not to vent their frustrations on the players.

"We've also had a lot of new arrivals. It takes time to come together," said the former Real Madrid, Arsenal and Chelsea player.

"New coach, new method, new players, you also have to take stock and realise that it's not always easy." 

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