On Sunday evening, Paris Saint-Germain secured a 2-1 victory over Olympique de Marseille at the Stade Vélodrome in Matchday 5 of the 2026-2027 Ligue 1 season. Here is a look at the highs and lows of this win.
The Highs
❤️ Ferran Torres: the instinct the others still lack
It took Ferran Torres just seven minutes. Coming on in the 59th minute to replace Kvaratskhelia, the Spaniard opened the scoring in the 66th minute by meeting Désiré Doué’s cross with a header at the near post. It was a moment that perfectly encapsulates what he brings to PSG: minimal touches, simple movement, and an immediate desire to finish the play.
- Came on in the 59th minute; scored in the 66th.
- Another shot saved by De Lange in the 70th minute.
- Two more dangerous chances created in the final fifteen minutes.
The contrast with several of his attacking teammates was striking. While Paris often focused on control, combination play, or waiting for the perfect opening, Torres attacked the danger zone directly. His current efficiency is a reward for that spontaneity.
Nuno Mendes: Marseille never really managed to stop him
Nuno Mendes was the most consistent Parisian threat. Highly active from the start, he made numerous runs and delivered crosses from the left flank before playing a decisive role at the perfect moment.
- Provided the assist for Marquinhos’s goal in the 74th minute.
- Timothy Weah received both of his bookings during plays involving Mendes.
- A powerful shot parried by De Lange in the 82nd minute.
He created two more highly dangerous chances late in the game. While his loss of possession in the 96th minute could have proved costly, it did not overshadow a performance in which his power and forward surges constantly caused problems for OM.
Winning Le Classique is always a great result
PSG didn’t put on a masterclass, but they left the Vélodrome with a win. In a season start that has been inconsistent so far, getting the job done is what matters most. Above all, Paris has now strung together wins following their victories over Bratislava and Brest.
Angel Gomes’ 72nd-minute equalizer could have turned the tide of the match. Two minutes later, however, Marquinhos had already put Paris back in front. It was an immediate response that allowed PSG to win Le Classique and continue their league recovery.
The lows
😡 An attack that overthinks things far too much
Ferran Torres almost served as a case in point. For an hour, Paris often sought the perfect solution rather than the immediate one. An extra touch, an extra pass, a complicated combination—PSG frequently gave the Marseille defensive block time to regroup.
The first half highlighted this particularly well. Paris had possession but created little real danger. The tempo picked up significantly after the break. The problem, therefore, wasn’t just finding spaces, but exploiting them before they disappeared.
31 shots for just two goals—the numbers don’t add up
The lack of efficiency becomes even more apparent when looking at the stats. Paris created a huge amount but failed to put the game to bed early.
- 31 shots for PSG.
- 10 shots on target.
- 4.43 xG generated.
- 8 saves made by Jeffrey De Lange.
Notably, João Neves missed a header from six yards out, Dembélé squandered several situations, and Akliouche missed a huge chance late in the game. The Marseille goalkeeper certainly had a great match, but given the quantity and quality of chances, Paris should have scored more.
Ousmane Dembélé: a truly sloppy performance
After his previous strong displays, Ousmane Dembélé failed to deliver in Le Classique. Deployed centrally before shifting to the right, he never quite found his rhythm and squandered several promising opportunities.
He failed to connect properly with the ball while unmarked at the far post before the break.
He missed another chance to finish off an excellent cross from Mendes in the 53rd minute.
He lost possession in the build-up to Marseille’s equalizer in the 72nd minute.
PSG ultimately won, which softened the impact of that final error. However, in an attack already guilty of over-elaborating, Dembélé best epitomized the lack of precision shown throughout the night.
