Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) secured a key 3-1 victory against their long-time rivals Marseille on Sunday, March 16, 2025, at the Parc des Princes, moving closer to yet another Ligue 1 title. The win, which follows their recent triumph over Liverpool, extends PSG’s commanding lead at the top of the table to 19 points with just eight matches remaining, with the team poised to clinch the title for the 11th time in 13 seasons.
The match, popularly known as “Le Classique,” showcased PSG's dominance over Marseille, marking their ninth consecutive league victory over them. Ousmane Dembélé opened the scoring for PSG just 17 minutes in, darting behind the Marseille defense after receiving a well-placed pass from Fabian Ruiz. Dembélé skillfully maneuvered past Marseille goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli to put PSG on the board.
By halftime, PSG doubled their lead courtesy of Nuno Mendes, who slotted home after Ruiz capitalized on lackluster Marseille defending. Dembélé’s performance has been particularly noteworthy, as he has scored 25 goals across all competitions since mid-December, making him the top scorer this season.
Marseille responded after the break when Adrien Rabiot intercepted a back pass from Mendes and assisted Amine Gouiri, who pulled one back for Marseille. Nevertheless, the evening's outcome was cemented when substitute Pol Lirola inadvertently turned Achraf Hakimi’s pass over the line, solidifying PSG's victory.
While PSG celebrated, another match involving Montpellier and Saint-Etienne was overshadowed by troubling crowd unrest. The game was disrupted shortly after Saint-Etienne took a 2-0 lead, resulting in its abandonment due to flares being thrown by fans, which triggered minor fires and necessitated police intervention for public safety.
Local authorities reported at least seven minor injuries and two arrests as fans clashed, indicating rising tensions surrounding soccer matches. Montpellier's coach, Jean-Louis Gasset, remarked, “This has been brewing for a long time unfortunately,” acknowledging the escalation of crowd violence.
Adding to the week’s controversy, the PSG-Marseille match was marred by homophobic and racist chanting from sections of PSG fans. The Rouge Direct campaign group issued calls for stricter punitive measures against such discriminatory behavior, highlighting the inadequate response from officials during the match. French referees have the authority to suspend play for overtly offensive chants, but referee Clément Turpin chose not to act on this occasion.
One particularly egregious chant compared Marseille supporters to “rats,” lyrics believed to reference Marseille’s significant Arab community, amplifying concerns about the persistence of racism within French soccer culture. Rabiot’s mother, Véronique, stated, “I don’t understand why the match wasn’t stopped,” pointing out perceived inconsistencies with enforcement against fan abuse. Rabiot, who previously played for PSG, faced taunts from his former supporters during the match.
The situation has reignited discussions around the effectiveness of current sanctions and the need for urgent action from authorities to combat racism and homophobia within the sport. French law permits penalties reaching up to one year’s imprisonment and fines of €45,000 for public displays of homophobic behavior, yet incidents continue to mar the game.
Earlier this season, PSG itself was punished with partial stadium closures due to fan misconduct, underscoring the challenges teams face. Despite Montpellier's plight at the bottom of the table, the broader issues of crowd safety and fan conduct are coming to the forefront as discussions around the future of soccer culture continue.
While PSG's performance this week has solidified its position at the summit of French football, the troubling environment of crowd disorder and discriminatory chanting leaves fans and officials alike questioning how best to address these enduring issues.
