Matchday 10: Marseille vs. PSG, Le Classique POSTPONED

By: Thomas | October 24th, 2009

443685_marseille-psg
EDIT: The Classico has been postponed at the LFP’s recommendation.
The panel had initially given the Ligue 1 ‘clasico’ the green light on Saturday, despite confirmation that two PSG players had contracted swine flu.

“However, an official LFP statement said the commission had reversed the decision at Sunday lunchtime and placed the PSG squad and staff in a 72-hour quarantine to ‘prevent any risk of infection, including among the opposing team, and to avoid any serious medical complications that could occur among players if the match were to go ahead.’

‘I would like to apologise in the name of the LFP to the public, to the clubs, to the supporters and the TV broadcasters,’ said LFP President Mr Frédéric Thiriez. ‘It’s clear that the players’ health should be our main priority.’

The date of the rescheduled match has yet to be decided.”

From the LFP Official Wesite

It just can’t get any worse for this club, can it? Two of our players have been diagnosed with H1N1. Yeah, that’s swine flu, the virus that’s been deemed a national emergency by President Obama. It is believed that the players are Mamadou Sakho and Ludovic Giuly, and rumor has it that Jeremy Clement may have been effected as well, which is just wonderful considering the injuries we’re already dealing with. Anyway, tomorrow we take on Olympique de Marseille in the French Classico, the North vs. South derby, the fake rivalry created by Canal+ that has taken on a life of it’s own. The Marseille Offside has been providing great coverage of all the prematch events. Check out their preview here, after which there is little to say. Both teams are under preforming in Ligue 1, OM sit in 5th place, while we’re…erm…hanging out in the bottom half of the table…haven’t won since end of August…etc, you’ve heard it all before. Marseille aren’t doing so well in the Champions League either (Gabi Heinze is their top and only scorer), but that’s beside the point.

PSG Info:
Sakho, Giuly, and possibly Clement (although he made the trip) have the pig disease. Hoarau is out for at least five weeks with a “badly twisted right knee”, Mevlut Erding is doubtful, although he also made the trip, and Willy Grondin has a hamstring issue. And of course Zoumana Camara is dealing with his deep vein thrombosis. This makes our formation a complicated thing…

Coupet
Ceara-Traore-Bourillon-Armand
Jallet-Makelele-Chantome/Ngoyi-Sessegnon
Luyindula-Maurice/Arnaud

I’m scared. Very scared. This just doesn’t look like a team capable of holding off Marseille, who seem to be injury free…

Le Groupe Marseillais
Gardiens : Mandanda, Andrade
Défenseurs : Bonnart, Heinze, Mbow, Taiwo, Hilton, Diawara
Milieux : Lucho, Kaboré, Cissé, Cheyrou, Abriel, Mbia, Valbuena, Ben Arfa
Attaquants : Niang, Brandao, Morientes, Koné

So I would assume that means the formation will look something like this…

Mandanda
Bonnart-Diawara-Heinze-Taiwo
Mbia
Lucho-Cheyrou
Kone-Brandao-Niang

My Prediction: Last time I got it right, so let’s go with 1-0 PSG. I know, I know, I’m delusional.

Think happy thoughts as you watch this video…


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Comments   |  Add your comment

  • Lau |  October 24th, 2009 at 11:58 pm

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    swine flu
    sound familiar to u thomas ;)

    Posted from United States United States

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  • Xavier |  October 25th, 2009 at 1:13 am

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    Ah the Clasico. This is always the best match of the French football year. Can’t wait.

    Posted from United States

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  • Thomas |  October 25th, 2009 at 8:33 am

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    The LFP decided to reverse their earlier decision. The Classico has been postponed and the new date has not yet been announced.

    Posted from United States United States

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  • Sarah |  October 25th, 2009 at 9:04 am

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    Well, I think it is for the best– so will PSG be able to play in next week’s game?

    Posted from United States United States

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  • Sarah |  October 25th, 2009 at 9:05 am

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    any word on how they contracted the disease?

    Posted from United States United States

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  • Rama |  October 25th, 2009 at 9:22 am

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    That’s so annoying. I mean it’s good that they can recover, but I was all prepared for the match today.

    Posted from United States United States

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  • Dave Trotter |  October 25th, 2009 at 10:55 am

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    Great, now I have to watch “American” football for the next two hours!

    Posted from United States

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  • Sarah |  October 25th, 2009 at 1:46 pm

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    @Rama– Yah, but the most important thing is that the players are not asked to play in a potentially dangerous situation. I think they should have cancelled it earlier though.

    Posted from United States United States

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  • Dave Trotter |  October 25th, 2009 at 2:08 pm

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    It will be interesting to see what date they pick.

    They have already had to change some of the Ligue 1 schedule because of the France-Ireland games. And on top of that, Marseille is involved with CL play.

    Thereore, I wonder when they will replay the game, because the calendar in November is going to be tight!

    Posted from United States

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  • Thomas |  October 25th, 2009 at 2:24 pm

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    Basically Sakho contracted it first, I have no idea how, and from him it spread to Giuly, Clement, Arnaud, and an unnamed staff member, and it may have spread more. The entire squad has been quarantined and as of yet there is no indication as to when the squad can play again. Scheduling it will be tough, there’s a possibility it may even be moved to the end of the season.

    Posted from United States United States

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  • Inara |  October 25th, 2009 at 6:34 pm

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    I totally feel for the PSG players. I’m a swine flu victim myself, and man does it feel like crap.

    Posted from United States United States

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  • Thomas |  October 27th, 2009 at 7:15 pm

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    Check this out: http://www.ligue1.com/ligue1/lireArticle.asp?idArticle=14383

    New date out on Thursday

    Posted from United States United States

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