PSG 2-0 Olympique Marseille: Zlatan nose best

While not quite matching Sunday's league game in terms of quality or intensity, last night's encounter between Paris Saint-Germain and Marseille certainly had plenty of comedy value. The most amusing moment was probably Joey Barton's attempt to troll Zlatan Ibrahimovic by saying, and I quote, "fucking big nose". Barton also did some gestures in case Ibra, who speaks about a million languages fluently, was in any doubt about what he meant. What a renaissance man Joey is. As I pointed out on Twitter, Ibra has more talent in his nose than Barton has in his entire body, and the nose is probably less offensive. He proved this by scoring twice as PSG booked a Coupe-de-France quarter-final date with Evian. “We played very well, perhaps better...

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PSG 2-0 Marseille: As it happened

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PSG vs Marseille: Classic classique's from years gone by

"When I was young I used to watch the Classique with all my mates in the neighbourhood," said Mamadou Sakho yesterday. "There was always a lot of chatter, a lot of bets going down… There was great tension surrounding these games and we always looked forward to them. "It was a very special moment for me. I've always been a PSG fan, I used to go to the Parc des Princes as a kid, starting when I was seven or eight, so to be able to defend the colours of my team on the pitch is very emotional." Sakho, who grew up in the rough-and-ready 19th arrondissement of Paris, is well placed to describe what Paris Saint-Germain vs Marseille means to the fans. Though not a derby in the traditional sense, given that Marseille is some 800km south of Paris, the rivalry is a fierce one; the urbane citizens...

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Badge of (dis)honour? PSG's new logo revealed

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Sochaux 3-2 PSG: Pegged Bak by Les Lionceaux

So apparently reports of Paris Saint-Germain's Ligue 1 title win last week were greatly exaggerated. All and sundry were announcing we'd all-but wrapped up the Championship after taking a six-point lead into this latest round of games. It's easy to see why anyone would leap to that conclusion, but it ignores the fact that PSG are masters of snatching disaster from the jaws of triumph. Exhibit A: 2-0 up away in the Champions League with a minute to go, and WHAM; goal conceded, best player sent off. Exhibit B: Away game against a side battling the drop, in a stadium where our record is awesome, and BAM, a 3-2 defeat and a performance as limp as a week-old lettuce. "For me, the title race is not back on as we never thought it was finished just because we had a six-point lead," said Carletto,...

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Sochaux vs PSG: Dashing David's debut delayed

All the international journalists who were planning a trip to eastern France tomorrow night can put their suitcases away and try and get a refund on those EasyJet flights. Because, when Paris Saint-Germain take to the field at the Stade Auguste Bonal tomorrow night against Sochaux, David Beckham won't be among the players. "He [Beckham] needs to do more physical work and will be ready for next week to play Marseille no problem, whether it's in the league or in the Coupe de France," said Carlo Ancelotti, who is probably fed up to the back teeth of fielding questions about the former England captain. "He'll bring us experience, quality and professionalism. Those are things we need. Our current tactical system gives us confidence and won't be changed for him. He can play central midfield or...

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Stupid PSG picture of the week: Jeremy Menez rapping his way out of the Parc-des-Princes?

It's been a good week for Paris Saint-Germain, after Tuesday's 2-1 win in Valencia put us firmly in the driving seat for a place in the last eight of the Champions League. One man who hasn't been basking in this glory is poor old Jeremy Menez, who was reportedly involved in a bust-up with Carlo Ancelotti and Leonardo after Tuesday's match over his lack of recent game-time. Jezza's issues came to to head in the Mestalla, when Carletto sent him to warm up following Lucas Moura's first-half injury. But the manager chose to introduce Clement Chantome instead, with Menez not getting onto the pitch until the 76th minute, when he replaced Ezequiel Lavezzi. All this his left the former Monaco man reportedly considering his future at the Parc-des-Princes....

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Valencia vs PSG: Parisiens to reign in Spain or feel some Champions League pain?

Tonight's the night we've all been waiting for, one of the highlights of the year, the big one. Yes it's Shrove Tuesday, an opportunity to gorge yourself on yummy pancakes sprinkled with sugar and drizzled with lemon juice. In fact just writing it down is making me hungry. Paris Saint-Germain also have their biggest game of the season to date this evening, the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie in Valencia. Whether they manage to batter the opposition or end up feeling flat as a pancake remains to be seen as, on paper, the sides appear to be quite evenly matched. "I don't think we're the favourites because this round is totally open," said Carletto, who probably likes his mozzarella and sun-dried tomatoes on his pancakes. "Valencia are playing well again – they have well-organised...

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Six-y time for PSG as Ligue 1 rivals falter

As weekends go, the one just past couldn't have been much better for those of a Parisien persuasion. Paris Saint-Germain won again, 3-1 on Friday night against Bastia. The biggest surprise of the match was that Salvatore Sirigu finally conceded a goal, some 947 minutes after he last picked the ball out of his own net. The Italian probably won't want to see Wahbi Khazri's 40-yard free kick again, positioned as he was a little too far out of his goal, giving the Moroccan the space to bend a terrific shot in at the near post. By that stage though, PSG's much changed line-up was already two goals to the good. The first half was a frustrating one, with Les Rouge-et-Bleu dominating possession but unable to find a way through. The closest they came was an effort from Kevin Gameiro which rebounded...

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PSG vs Bastia: All change for clash with Corsicans

Like the contents of Findus lasagna, the composition of the Paris Saint-Germain team to take on Bastia tonight may be somewhat unexpected. With the Champions League clash with Valencia just five days away, Carlo Ancelotti is pondering changes, despite the fact that a win at the Parc des Princes would take us six points clear at the top ahead of the other fixtures this weekend. "There is no risk that our heads are in Valencia," said Carlo in his pre-match press conference. "Everyone knows that it is important to win against Bastia. You have to take points, it is a very important moment. It would take us six points ahead, which would be good preparation for Valencia. The team is ready and confident." Nevertheless, reports today suggest some of the squad's prime beef (Ibrahimovic, Lucas,...

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International round-up: Sakho quote nonsense, Verratti goal glee, Ibra on buff Becks

No one likes losing to Germany, least of all France, who are about as keen on Deutschland as the average Tory MP is on gay marriage. But lose they did last night at the Stade de France, as the Germans recovered from falling behind to Mathieu Valbeuna's goal to go on and claim a 2-1 win in Les Bleus' latest international friendly. Mamadou Sakho played the full 90 minutes for Didier Deschamps' side, with Blaise Matuidi starting in midfield before being replaced at half-time by Toulouse's Etienne Capoue. Jeremy Menez also made it onto the pitch briefly as an 86th minute substitute. Speaking of Sakho, you may have seen some pieces in the English media yesterday about him possibly wanting to leave PSG. Sky Sports were running a story with the following quotes: "I will do everything to play...

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Stupid PSG picture of the week: Lucas goes to Disneyland

Lucas Moura has made quite an impression since arriving in Paris. The Brazilian's silky dribbling skills have already earned him plenty of plaudits, and he notched up two assists in Friday's 4-0 win in Toulouse. So the 19-year-old has more than earned a treat, and yesterday he ventured into the suburbs to visit Disneyland Paris. This article suggests Lucas is an adrenaline junkie who goes on the big rides like Space Mountain and the Mine Train, but then you wouldn't really confess to having a penchant for the Tea Cups, would you? Anyway, here he is with someone in a Mini Mouse costume. I wondered what Siaka Tiene was up to these days; Pic - http://www.leparisien.fr/psg-foot-paris-saint-germain/psg-lucas-en-pince-pour-minnie-a-disneyl...

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Toulouse 0-4 PSG: Parisiens cruise as TFC snooze

Four has very much been the magic number for Paris Saint-Germain this season, so much so that I've used up my stock of quartet-related headline puns. PSG have hit four goals in eight different league and cup games this season, the latest coming on Friday as we took a three-point lead at the top of Ligue 1 with victory in Toulouse. Lyon's surprise defeat at struggling Ajaccio today means that we also have an 13 goal advantage over Remi Garde's men in the goal difference stakes. The victory in Toulouse was so comfortable it could have been on sale in the luxury section at DFS. We received a helping hand from the home side, who defended abysmally at times in the first half, not least when Ezequiel Lavezzi sprung a raggedy offside trap to reach Zlatan's lofted pass. Lavezzi's far post cross...

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Toulouse vs PSG: Return from Planet Beckham

After a day of Beckham-mania, PSG are back to the mundane stuff of playing football this evening, heading south for a match with Toulouse. We've already beaten TFC twice this season, 2-0 in the league back in September and, more recently, 3-1 in the Coupe de France. But despite our recent good record against the southerners, boss Alain Casanova is looking forward to the match: "They've brought single players for the cost of our entire budget [reportedly €38million], it makes you think," he told L'Equipe. "But at the same time I think it is an invaluable opportunity for Ligue 1 and for all of us.   "For me this team is the caliber of Barcelona, ​​Real Madrid or Manchester United, even if it has less experience. "PSG are a locomotive and one that is needed. This is why I do not understand...

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