This Friday, the women’s teams of Paris Saint-Germain (2nd) and Olympique de Marseille (9th) will face off at the Stade Francis Turcan at 7 p.m CET for Matchday 9 of the 2025-2026 Première Ligue Arkéma. Marseille coach Corinne Diacre addressed the upcoming match in a press conference.
“We’re fighting to stay up, PSG are playing in the Champions League. There won’t be any rivalry. For me, the Classico doesn’t exist in women’s football today. I hope it will in the future; that would mean that Marseille has progressed in the right direction with regard to the project,” she said, as reported by France Info.
This statement might offend some fans, who are very attached to this rivalry so deeply rooted in French football. But Diacre’s point is understandable. There’s already a gap in the men’s game; it’s a chasm in the women’s game. Especially since OM, despite its progress, has never been a contender for titles. On a purely sporting level, the two clubs are simply not in the same league. That’s a realistic assessment.
Which doesn’t preclude certain emotions. We suspect, for example, that the Marseille fans would certainly make their voices heard in the event of an upset. The rivalry can’t be completely dismissed. This kind of communication could also serve as a way to protect the Marseille squad before what could be a very difficult match.
