Marseille's Tactical Tweaks Ahead of Classique vs PSG

Bruno Genesio does not have the luxury of sweeping changes. The squad is thin, the schedule unforgiving, and Olympique de Marseille walk into Sunday night’s Classique against Paris Saint-Germain burdened by four straight defeats in all competitions.

This is damage‑limitation territory, but also a test of nerve.

Genesio’s limited options

Geoffrey Kondogbia and Tochukwu Nnadi are still out, stripping Marseille of ballast in midfield and shrinking Genesio’s options even further. The core of his Ligue 1 side has stayed largely intact in recent weeks, not by choice but by necessity.

So the coach is left to tweak rather than overhaul.

One of those tweaks could see Angel Gomes sacrificed. The England international has laboured for rhythm and influence since returning from his loan spell at Wolverhampton Wanderers in the summer, and the Classique is no place to carry passengers. Dropping him would open the door for a reshuffle in the final third.

Harit through the middle, Abdallah wide

The plan is simple on paper. Amine Harit, so often Marseille’s most inventive spark, could be moved into a central role to get him on the ball earlier and more often. That switch would then free up the right flank for Keylian Abdallah, whose energy and direct running might give OM an outlet when PSG inevitably pin them back.

It is a small adjustment, but in a game of this magnitude, small adjustments can decide whether a team clings on or collapses.

Predicted OM XI for the Classique

Barring late surprises, Marseille are expected to line up against PSG as follows:

Jeffrey De Lange; Emerson, Nayef Aguerd, CJ Egan-Riley, Timothy Weah; Himad Abdelli, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg; Igor Paixao, Amine Harit, Keylian Abdallah, Amine Gouiri. (L'Éq)

It is not a squad built for rotation, nor a moment that invites caution. Four defeats behind them, PSG in front of them. Genesio has little room to move now — except forward.