Paris (AFP)
The poster: OM-PSG, Messi's first classic
Barely three days after the 0-0 draw snatched Thursday at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome against Lazio in the Europa League, the Marseillais must re-mobilize for another major challenge with the reception of Paris SG, victorious, but without convincing totally, Tuesday in C1 against RB Leipzig (3-2).
In the sights of OM, a first victory against the Parisians at the Vélodrome since ... November 2011 - even if the 1-0 brought back in September 2020 from the Parc des Princes put an end to the long famine of the Olympians.
The Ligue 1 "classic" will have a new guest this year in the person of Lionel Messi, a regular at the fiery Barça-Reals, but who will discover the atmosphere of the Vélodrome on Sunday evening.
Author of a double against Leipzig, but still looking for his first goal in Ligue 1, the Argentinian will be accompanied on the front of the Parisian attack by Kylian Mbappé.
However, doubts still remain around the presence of Neymar, affected in the adductors and absent against Leipzig, and Mauro Icardi, entangled in marital concerns spread on social networks, which in particular deprived him of the C1 match.
Holder during the victory at the Parc des Princes last year - and during Marseille's last success at the Vélodrome 10 years ago - Steve Mandanda will this time follow the match from the substitutes' bench.
Blame it on Pau Lopez, his successor in the Marseille cages, author of a decisive performance Thursday at the Stadio Olimpico.
No doubt he will have the opportunity to shine again on Sunday.
The number: 4
Already four defeats in L1 this season for Lille, which had lost only three times in 38 days last season: the awakening is difficult for the reigning French champion, who fell last weekend at the promoted Clermont (1-0) and also struggles on the European scene like the draw conceded (0-0) at home on Wednesday against Sevilla FC in the Champions League.
Turkish Losc striker Burak Yilmaz (l.) During the Champions League match between Lille and Sevilla FC at the Pierre-Mauroy stadium in Villeneuve-d'Ascq, near Lille, in northern France, on 20 October 2021. Denis Charlet AFP
Eleventh in Ligue 1 with 14 points, the Lille are far from their standards of last season, and the defeat recorded in Auvergne sent the Mastiffs back to their demons, after a series of three consecutive victories which had nevertheless seemed to put an end to their bad start to the season.
To revive once again, Jocelyn Gourvennec's men welcome Stade Brestois, 19th in the championship, still looking for their first victory.
Mistrust, however: last season, the Bretons had taken four points out of six against the future champions of France (victory at home, draw at Villeneuve d'Ascq).
The duel: Gouiri against Cherki, opposition of Espoirs
Victorious partners and scorers in the last two matches of the Espoirs (5-0 against Ukraine, 3-0 in Serbia), the two strikers Amine Gouiri, 21, and Rayan Cherki, 18, will be opposed on Sunday evening in a duel of "Gones" on the occasion of Nice-OL.
Not sure, however, that the two players are side by side on the lawn.
If the eldest Amine Gouiri is one of the sure values in L1 of OGC Nice since his transfer from Lyon in the summer of 2020 (12 goals and 6 assists last season, already 5 goals and 3 assists this year), Rayan Cherki is used more sparingly by Peter Bosz even if he started in the lead against Monaco (2-0 victory) on Matchday 10.
And the young Lyon striker is still waiting to score his first goal this season.
At the heart of the duel between their two clubs: a possible place on the podium.
Nice (4th) and Lyon (6th) have 16 points, one point only behind OM (3rd), and two behind the runner-up of the Parisians, Lens, which receives Metz.
Nice striker Amine Gouiri shoots a penalty during the L1 match between OGC Nice and AS Monaco at the Allianz Riviera stadium in Nice, south-eastern France, September 19, 2021. Valery HACHE AFP
Program for the 11th day of Ligue 1:
Friday October 22
(9 p.m.) Saint-Etienne - Angers
Saturday 23 October
(5:00 p.m.) Nantes - Clermont
(9 p.m.) Lille - Brest
Sunday October 24
(13h00) Nice - Lyon
(3:00 p.m.) Lorient - Bordeaux
Lens - Metz
Reims - Troyes
Rennes - Strasbourg
(5:00 p.m.) Monaco - Montpellier
(8:45 p.m.) Marseille - Paris SG
Ranking: Pts JGNP bp bc dif
1. Paris SG 27 10 9 0 1 24 10 14
2. Lens 18 10 5 3 2 16 11 5
3. Marseille 17 9 5 2 2 18 11 7
4. Nice 16 9 5 2 2 17 5 12
5. Angers 16 10 4 4 2 15 11 4
6. Lyon 16 10 4 4 2 16 13 3
7. Rennes 15 10 4 3 3 15 9 6
8. Strasbourg 14 10 4 2 4 18 15 3
9. Nantes 14 10 4 2 4 14 11 3
10. Monaco 14 10 4 2 4 14 13 1
11. Lille 14 10 4 2 4 13 15 -2
12. Lorient 14 10 3 5 2 11 13 -2
13. Montpellier 13 10 3 4 3 17 16 1
14. Clermont 13 10 3 4 3 13 20 -7
15. Reims 11 10 2 5 3 11 12 -1
16. Troyes 9 10 2 3 5 9 14 -5
17. Bordeaux 8 10 1 5 4 12 21 -9
18. Metz 6 10 1 3 6 11 22 -11
19. Brest 5 10 0 5 5 11 19 -8
20. Saint-Etienne 4 10 0 4 6 9 23 -14
© 2021 AFP