Rivalries
Le Classique (, The Classic), also known as Derby de France or Le Classico, is a football match contested between French top-flight clubs Paris Saint-Germain and Olympique de Marseille. The term "Le Classique" is modeled on the El Clásico, contested between Real Madrid and Barcelona. These meetings became important during the late 1980s and the beginning of the 1990s. Canal + and Bernard Tapie promoted confrontations between the two clubs, making these matches of interest for all French football fans. The tension between OM and PSG fans is legendary, and both clubs' world-class stadia, the Stade Vélodrome and the Parc des Princes, respectively, are renowned for the white-hot atmosphere and fervent fans. More and more, the various groups of Marseille and Parisian supporters have hated and battled each other. Important security measures are taken to prevent confrontations between the fans, but violent episodes still often occur every time the duo meet.
Like all major rivalries, the antipathy between Paris Saint-Germain and Olympique de Marseille extends outside the pitch as Paris and Marseille are the two largest cities in France, while the duo are the most successful and influential football clubs in the country having won eleven Ligue 1 titles, eighteen French Cups, six League Cups and five Champions Trophy. Both clubs are also the only French clubs to have won a major European trophy, as PSG claimed the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in 1996 and OM landed the UEFA Champions League in 1993. The duo were the dominant forces before the appearance of Olympique Lyonnais during the 21st century. Despite their recent ups and downs, PSG and OM remain, along with Saint-Étienne, the only French clubs with a truly nationwide, faithful and passionate fan base, giving the country's biggest match a special atmosphere.
Read more about this topic: Paris Saint-Germain F.C.