Back Barton's Marseille to get a result at Beckham's PSG

24Feb 2013

First host third as Paris Saint-Germain take on Marseille on Sunday night, with much of the pre-match attention centred on messrs Barton and Beckham. PSG are short-priced favourites, but European football expert James Horncastle believes Joey might well be happier than David come the final whistle...

PSG v Marseille

Kick-Off: Sunday 20:00 GMT

Delayed coverage on ESPN: 22:30

Those picking up a copy of France Football's Weekend edition on Friday could be forgiven for thinking they'd accidentally bought a Dan Brown thriller instead. For the front page showed a picture of David Beckham and Joey Barton ahead of this weekend's Classique between Paris Saint-Germain and Marseille with the headline: "Angel and Demon."

That this should be the narrative of a clash between first and third in Ligue 1 when there are other more compelling storylines around this game, reflects the French curiosity with a pair of supposedly contrasting English personalities.

As you might expect, while Beckham is still yet to comment on the prospect of maybe playing against his compatriot at the Parc des Princes on Sunday, Barton has already been typically outspoken.

Brand

For instance, when he wasn't telling Thursday's edition of L'Equipe how "French players don't work. They don't like getting dirty," he was once again expressing his view that Beckham is now more of a brand than a footballer.

"He's a super ambassador for English football," Barton said. "After that, he's no longer the same athlete he was five years ago because, no disrespect to MLS, it's not at the same level."

When asked if Beckham was a player he admired, Barton replied: "His leather trousers, fashionable shoes, his blonde locks... It's not really my style. But he's probably the best crosser of the ball England has ever known."

Whether Beckham plays a prominent role for PSG over the remainder of the season or not, it's obvious he's in a better position than Barton to become only the sixth Englishman to win Ligue 1. The last Rosbifs to pick up a winners' medal were Trevor Steven and Chris Waddle at Marseille in 1992.

Barton would obviously like to follow in their footsteps and bring the league title back to the Vieux-Port for the first time since 2010. So the question is: can Marseille close the five-point gap and overtake PSG from now until the end of the season?

"Why not?" Barton said. "We're the outsiders, but that suits us fine. No one expects us to win, so it would be a catastrophe for PSG not to be champions."

It seems unlikely that Marseille will 'do a Montpellier' and pip PSG to the title this season. They can be backed to do just that, however, at fixed odds of 26.0.

Blip

As for PSG, their 3-2 defeat to Sochaux last Sunday felt like a blip, one that was explicable within the context of it coming at the end of a Champions League week when they'd gone to Valencia and won the first leg of their last 16 tie 2-1.

Incidentally, their only two defeats at the Parc in Ligue 1 so far this season have come after midweek action in cup competitions: 2-1 losses to Saint-Etienne and Rennes in November followed PSG knocking Marseille out of the Coupe de la Ligue and beating Dinamo Zagreb 4-0 in the Champions League respectively.

The loss to Sochaux brought to an end an impressive 13-match unbeaten run in all competitions. Of those games, 12 were wins.

On balance it seems that, after just over a year at the Parc, PSG coach Carlo Ancelotti has found out what his best team is and how best to line his players up too. A 4-4-2 that often looks more like a 4-2-2-2 has been getting the job done nicely.

With a full week to prepare for the Classique, PSG are understandably clear favourites at 1.53.

Lest we forget, though, this is a derby. And while Marseille haven't won at the Parc since February 2010, it promises to be a battle. Speaking at a press conference on Friday their coach Elie Baup laughed that "I'll be watching the England-France rugby game for the fighting spirit".

He'll be asking his team to show some of their own on Sunday. Not too much, though. Barton cost his team earlier this month when he was sent off against bottom club Nancy who went on to score afterwards and win 1-0. Providing he can keep his head, there's no reason why Marseille can't get a positive result.

Recommended Bet

I wouldn't dissuade you from backing the draw at a decent looking 4.3 but with PSG so short, the recommendation is a lay of the hosts at 1.53, therefore covering the Marseille win.