Marseille 0-0 Paris Saint-Germain: Player ratings as ten-man PSG earn draw
By Sean Walsh
Sunday's incredible day of European football concluded with a 0-0 draw between Marseille and Paris Saint-Germain in a Classique marred by crowd trouble.
PSG players were pelted with bottles when trying to take throws and corners as some members of the Stade Velodrome crowd disgraced themselves to the world.
The first big chance of the game went Marseille's way when Arkadiusz Milik rose highest to meet Dimitri Payet's free-kick, but the Poland international couldn't keep his header on target.
PSG's first few sights of goal came through Kylian Mbappe, but his first touch kept escaping him and Pau Lopez was on hand to sweep up in the Marseille net.
The visitors thought they had taken the lead after 14 minutes when Angel Di Maria released Neymar into the channel, and the Brazilian's cross-cum-shot was diverted in by Marseille defender Luan Peres. However, it was ruled out for offside after a lengthy VAR check.
Marseille also had a goal chalked off after Neymar and Nuno Mendes lost the ball bumping into each other, with Pol Lirola picking out Milik with a low cross to tap home, but he too was offside.
Lionel Messi almost gave PSG the lead with a header (yes, really), and Lopez had to be at full stretch to deny the diminutive Argentine. Mbappe then squared the ball to Neymar inside the six yard box but the Brazilian was thwarted by Duje Caleta-Car with the goal gaping.
Some sloppy PSG defending saw Cengiz Under slipped in one on one with Keylor Navas, but the former Leicester man couldn't keep his shot on target and the Ligue 1 leaders were let off the hook.
Payet had a penalty claim dismissed at the start of the second half when he received a rather sizeable nudge from Danilo Pereira, but the referee wasn't interested.
PSG were reduced to ten men just before the hour mark after Achraf Hakimi clumsily tripped up Under when through on goal.
The hosts then began to pile on the pressure with Valentin Rongier heading just wide of Navas' goal, but PSG weathered the initial storm.
Messi was interrupted on a rare Parisiens attack by a pitch invader as the visitors struggled to work their way up the pitch.
Marseille remained in the ascendancy and substitute Konrad de la Fuente should have opened the scoring after ghosting in behind Thilo Kehrer at the far post, but the USMNT international scuffed his shot.
Arsenal loanee Matteo Guendouzi had a curling effort easily held by Navas in stoppage time as PSG clung on to take a point back to the French capital.
PSG player ratings
1. Goalkeeper & defenders
Keylor Navas (GK) - 5/10 - Didn't look anywhere near as imposing as deputy Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Achraf Hakimi (RB) - 3/10 - Quiet going forward and sent off for shoddy defending. Not a great night for the Morocco international.
Marquinhos (CB) - 5/10 - Was ok but that's about as good as he got.
Presnel Kimpembe (CB) - 5/10 - Took too many risks off the ball and provided less aerial security than Marquinhos somehow.
Nuno Mendes (LB) - 4/10 - Rabbit in headlights and looked out of his depth again.
2. Midfielders
Danilo Pereira (CM) - 5/10 - Brought some bite to a match where that was imperative, but was also very clumsy.
Marco Verratti (CM) - 6/10 - Brought off with an injury after a tidy performance, which is typical of him.
Neymar (AM) - 3/10 - Loose touches escaped him and was very fortunate not to be at fault for a Marseille goal.
3. Forwards
Lionel Messi (RW) - 7/10 - Finally having some more luck controlling PSG's attack, but would benefit from playing with a more physical striker.
Kylian Mbappe (CF) - 4/10 - Always a sense of danger, but it didn't translate into goals.
Angel Di Maria (LW) - 6/10 - PSG have far better balance with him in the team. Sacrificed when Hakimi was sent off.
4. Substitutes
Idrissa Gueye (CM) - 5/10 - Played most of the game with his team a man light.
Thilo Kehrer (RB) - 4/10