Paris Saint-Germain vs Marseille Preview (8 January 2026) | Trophée des Champions Prediction

Le Classique with a Trophy Attached

Paris Saint-Germain and Marseille rarely need extra motivation when they share a pitch, but on Thursday night there is silverware on the table as well as pride.

The defending French champions chase yet another Trophée des Champions to reinforce their domestic dominance. Marseille, revitalised under Roberto De Zerbi, see this as an early chance to puncture PSG’s aura and claim a first piece of silverware in the new era.

On neutral ground in Kuwait, far from the Parc des Princes and the Vélodrome, France’s fiercest rivalry becomes a one-off test of mentality, adaptation and big-game nerve.

📌 Quick Facts

📈 Current Form & Momentum

🔴 PSG: Machine Mode with a Cup Edge

PSG arrive in Kuwait in control of the narrative:

• ✅ Unbeaten in five across all competitions
• ✅ Opening 2026 with a 2-1 win over Paris FC
• ✅ 11 wins in their last 12 Trophée des Champions finals
• ✅ No goals conceded in the last three editions of this fixture (7-0 aggregate)

Luis Enrique has built a side that knows how to manage occasions like this. They can suffer, they can control, and they rarely lose focus when a trophy is on the line.

The champions have recently rotated cleverly without losing their attacking edge, and the squad is deep enough to absorb absences without collapsing in key areas.

🔵⚪ Marseille: Flair, Fragility and a Point to Prove

Marseille’s new year started with a jolt rather than a celebration:

• ❌ 2-0 defeat away to Nantes in their first match of 2026
• ⚖️ Eight points off top spot in Ligue 1
• ✅ Still carrying the confidence of big away wins and heavy cup victories

Under De Zerbi, OM are far more daring on the ball, pushing numbers into the final third and taking risks in build-up. That boldness can unnerve PSG – but it can also leave Marseille exposed when transitions go the other way.

They do, however, step into this neutral-venue final with:

• 🔥 Nine goals in their last two away games in all competitions
• 💥 Three or more goals scored in several domestic away fixtures this season

If this becomes an open, end-to-end contest, Marseille have the tools to hurt the champions.

🧠 Tactical Overview

🧩 PSG: Control, Width and Tournament Know-How

With key full-back Achraf Hakimi away at AFCON, PSG will likely lean more on:

• Compact back four with intelligent build-up through Marquinhos and Pacho
• Midfield trio focused on control (Neves/Vitinha/Ruiz) rather than chaos
• Wide threats in Ousmane Dembélé and Bradley Barcola attacking 1v1

Chevalier’s confidence in goal and the structure in front of him usually allow PSG to play high, suffocating opponents and keeping them pinned into their defensive half.

Expect:

• Long spells of Parisian possession
• High pressing after turnovers
• Full-backs stepping into midfield to overload central areas

🧩 Marseille: De Zerbi’s Positional Carousel

Marseille will not sit back and accept PSG’s pressure. Their key principles:

• Brave build-up from the back, even under intense press
• Box-midfield rotations with O’Riley and Nadir drifting between lines
• Aggressive wing-backs (Weah and Palmieri) creating overloads wide

Aubameyang’s movement in behind and Paixão’s ability to carry the ball at pace are crucial to turning promising positions into clear chances. OM’s problem is often not chance creation – it is balancing that ambition with defensive stability.

⭐ Key Players to Watch

PSG

• Ousmane Dembélé 🚀 – Direct dribbling, chaos in wide areas, can tilt the game in a single sprint.
• Vitinha 🎛️ – The metronome; controls tempo, links phases and finds vertical passes.
• Marquinhos 🧱 – Needs a calmer evening after his own goal in the last league meeting.

Marseille

• Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang 🎯 – Big-game instincts, ruthless if given space behind the back line.
• Benjamin Pavard 🧠 – Leadership and experience in the back three; crucial against PSG’s wide threats.
• Morgan Sanson-style energy (O’Riley / Nadir) ⚙️ – Midfield runners who must break PSG’s rhythm.

🚑 Team News & Selection Picture

🔴 PSG

• Out / Doubtful:
  • Achraf Hakimi (AFCON – Morocco)
  • Matvey Safonov (hand)
  • Lee Kang-in (thigh – major doubt)
• Likely approach:
  • Chevalier continues in goal after a winning performance v Paris FC.
  • Back four with Zaïre-Emery potentially tucking inside to help build-up and cover Hakimi’s absence.
  • Midfield three of Neves, Vitinha and Ruiz to prioritise control and second balls.
  • Ramos through the middle with Dembélé and Barcola offering width and pace.

PSG’s XI almost picks itself in a final like this – Enrique will favour familiarity and stability.

🔵⚪ Marseille

• Out / Doubtful:
  • Rubén Blanco (knee) – very unlikely to feature.
  • Gouiri only just back from a long lay-off; may be preserved for impact minutes rather than starting.
• Likely approach:
  • Rulli in goal after that famous clean sheet in the last league meeting.
  • Pavard and Aguerd anchoring the back line, with Balerdi competing hard for his place.
  • Weah and Palmieri operating as adventurous wing-backs.
  • Greenwood deployed between the lines, feeding Paixão and Aubameyang.

De Zerbi is unlikely to compromise entirely on his attacking principles, but he may ask his wing-backs to pick their moments more carefully than usual.

🔍 Match Dynamics: What to Expect

• 🕐 Fast PSG start – looking to impose early territory and tempo.
• ⚔️ Midfield chess – De Zerbi will target PSG’s build-up with selective high presses.
• 🌪️ Flurries of chances – especially when Marseille break through the first press and attack space.
• 🧱 Parisian resilience late on – experience in one-off finals usually counts in the last 20 minutes.

🧮 Betting Insight & Prediction

(Indicative only – not real odds)

• PSG win: ~1.55
• Draw (90 minutes): ~3.90
• Marseille win: ~5.00
• Over 2.5 goals: ~1.70
• Both Teams To Score: ~1.75

🔮 Goal.mu Prediction

Paris Saint-Germain 2-1 Marseille

Why this outcome fits:

• PSG’s vast experience in this competition and unbeaten recent run.
• Marseille’s attacking bravery capable of creating – and conceding – chances.
• Neutral venue slightly softens PSG’s home advantage but not their quality edge.

✅ Best Betting Angles (lean)

• PSG to win in 90 minutes
• Over 2.5 goals
• Both Teams To Score – YES

🧑‍🎤 Final Verdict

This edition of Le Classique feels less like a curtain-raiser and more like a stress test.

PSG are expected to win – they usually do in the Trophée des Champions – but Marseille’s high-risk, high-reward style under De Zerbi gives this final the potential to ignite. If Les Parisiens manage transitions and stay calm in build-up, their quality in the final third should tilt the balance.

For Marseille, turning chaos into control – rather than the other way round – is the only route to an upset.

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