Olympique de Marseille News

Defender Nicolas Pallois deflected a Mehmet Celik strike into his own net and Burak Yilmaz converted a second-half spot kick, putting Lille on 11 points from five games. Nantes, who have not beaten Lille in five years, are currently standing at the 14th spot on the Ligue 1 table with five points. After the St Etienne v Rennes opener on Saturday, Olympique de Marseille will take on Metz in the late game.

Julian Draxler headed home deep in stoppage time to give the depleted French champions Paris Saint Germain their first win of the Ligue 1 season with 1-0 home win over Metz. France striker Kylian Mbappe was also out due to testing positive for COVID-19 and Thomas Tuchel`s under-strength side initially struggled to break down Metz during the match. Having lost their first two matches of the campaign to Lens and Marseille, PSG are 15th in the Ligue 1 standings on three points after three games.

Neymar, the world`s most expensive player, was automatically suspended from Wednesday`s 1-0 win over Metz for the red card, as was team mate Leandro Paredes. The league`s statement said that defender Alvaro was being investigated after Neymar accused the Spaniard of using racist language towards him during the match. Meanwhile, PSG defender Layvin Kurzawa was given a six-match ban, the heaviest sanction of all, for his role in the confrontation at the end of the match between the two rivals.

Bordeaux were reduced to 10 men early on but still salvaged a point in a lacklustre 0-0 home draw against Nantes in first 202-21 Ligue 1 match. Bordeaux have failed to win any of their last-eight league outings after getting off to a sluggish start under new coach Jean-Louis Gasset. The 2019-20 season was cancelled in March amid the COVID-19 crisis and a new season resumed with fewer than the maximum 5,000 fans.

The result left PSG on 46 points from 19 games, five ahead of second-placed Olympique de Marseille.

Rennes have now failed to beat Marseille in their last five Ligue 1 encounters.

Former France international Ribery will join fellow veteran forward Arjen Robben in leaving the club at the end of the campaign, marking the end of the iconic `Robbery` partnership at the Allianz Arena.

Marseille have not won in the top flight at Bordeaux since 1977 and the latest loss left them eight points from third place, the last qualifying spot for the Champions League.

Olympique de Marseille, who have not won at Bordeaux in the elite since 1977, lie fifth in the Ligue 1 standings on 48 points from 31 games.

The Argentine forward tormented the visitors' defence throughout, adding to Kylian Mbappe's opener to put PSG on 77 points from 28 games.

Mercurial striker Balotelli held off Loic Perrin and twisted his body to volley the ball home from a corner in the 12th minute.

The game was played in near silence, as Marseille have been ordered to play all games at their home ground behind closed doors as a punishment for fans throwing firecrackers on to the pitch last month.

The defeat extended Marseille`s winless run to seven matches in all competitions.

The three points puts them second ahead of Lille on goal difference, 11 points behind Paris St Germain who have won all 12 of their games so far.

It was PSG`s eighth win in eight league games this season, and the champions have now scored 27 goals while conceding only six.

 Leeds United sacked manager Paul Heckingbottom on Friday after less than four months in charge of the second-tier English club.

PSG finished with 10 men after Neymar was carried off with a suspected ankle injury eight minutes from time after coach Unai Emery had already made his three replacements.