Roberto De Zerbi’s rebuilt Marseille side can offer PSG a real title race

Aside from PSG, Rennes were the other team to turn in a dominant performance at the weekend.

Mason Greenwood celebrates after scoring Marseille’s first goal against Brest. Picture: FRED TANNEAU / AFP

CUE the narrative klaxon, there’s a title race on in Ligue 1! Plucky Paris Saint-Germain battled to a valiant win over Le Havre on Friday, despite losing their superstar striker Kylian Mbappé to Real Madrid and his putative replacement, Gonçalo Ramos, to injury. Les Parisiens are now behind Roberto De Zerbi’s all-conquering Olympique de Marseille on goal difference only.

While the truth of the matter doesn’t stretch quite to that extent, after the opening weekend of the season in France, it looks like OM’s bold transfer plans this summer may pay dividends. In a summer where concerns over broadcasting deals have seen many recent surprise packages (Lille, Lens, Reims) limited in their spending, while other European contenders (Monaco, Lyon) added depth or promising talents rather than marquee players, Marseille have been unstintingly bold, signing eight players who hope to figure in De Zerbi’s first-choice XI.