page_title: Le Classique
hierarchical_section_title: Le Classique
caption_attribution_description: Paris Saint-Germain vs Olympique de Marseille (1-1), 2 September 2007, Parc des Princes
context_page_description: Le Classique is the name given in football to the sports rivalry between French professional clubs Paris Saint-Germain and Olympique de Marseille. Equivalent to Spain's El Clásico, the fixture is the biggest rivalry in France and one of the greatest in the world. Important security measures are taken ahead of these matches to prevent confrontations between the fans, but violent episodes still often occur when they meet.
  The duo are the two most successful clubs in French football history and the only two French teams to have won major European trophies. Moreover, PSG and l'OM were the dominant forces in the land prior to the emergence of Olympique Lyonnais in the 2000s. They are also the two most popular clubs in France and the two most followed French teams outside the country. Both clubs are at or near the top of the attendance lists every season as well.
  In their early meetings during the 1970s there was little indication the two would become deadly adversaries. The newly-formed Parisians were trying to assemble a competitive team, while the Olympians were Ligue 1 contenders. It all changed in 1986, when PSG won its first championship and l'OM were bought by Bernard Tapie.
context_section_description: Le Classique ([lə klasik], The Classic) is the name given in football to the sports rivalry between French professional clubs Paris Saint-Germain and Olympique de Marseille. Equivalent to Spain's El Clásico, the fixture is the biggest rivalry in France and one of the greatest in the world. Important security measures are taken ahead of these matches to prevent confrontations between the fans, but violent episodes still often occur when they meet.
  The duo are the two most successful clubs in French football history and the only two French teams to have won major European trophies. Moreover, PSG and l'OM were the dominant forces in the land prior to the emergence of Olympique Lyonnais in the 2000s. They are also the two most popular clubs in France and the two most followed French teams outside the country. Both clubs are at or near the top of the attendance lists every season as well.
  In their early meetings during the 1970s there was little indication the two would become deadly adversaries. The newly-formed Parisians were trying to assemble a competitive team, while the Olympians were Ligue 1 contenders. It all changed in 1986, when PSG won its first championship and l'OM were bought by Bernard Tapie. By the end of the decade, PSG were fighting for the 1988–89 title against Tapie's star-studded Marseille, and sparks flew for the first time. The accusations made by PSG president Francis Borelli against Tapie and l'OM for fixing matches during that season were a big contributor to their growing antagonism.
  However, the 1990s were the real starting point of the rivalry, though. French TV channel Canal+ bought PSG in 1991 with the aim of breaking Marseille's hegemony, but agreed with Tapie to fuel the animosity between them as a way to spice up the league. Now with similar financial power, PSG and l'OM established themselves as top contenders in the title race. Both sides were less successful in the late 1990s and throughout the 2000s, but the rivalry remained just as fierce. However, since the 2010s, the matchup has been completely dominated by PSG. The investment of their mega-rich Qatar owners has created a wide gap between them and Marseille.
caption: PSG/OM at Parc des Princes in September 2007.
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