A recent French poll indicated that the nation’s public were largely backing Paris Saint-Germain to go on to lift the Ligue 1 title this season, and it’s easy to see why.
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PSG may not have been the most exciting or gallant competitors this term, but despite losing to Girondins de Bordeaux earlier this month, the capital club still sit atop the classement with eight matches to go.
Many in France will be secretly hoping that either Olympique de Marseille or Olympique Lyonnais can topple the dominant, moneyed Parisians between now and the season’s end.
But is their hope in vain?
OM and OL may possess delicious attackers and exciting, attacking styles, but both are sides populated with young players lacking the experience of a title challenge.
Marseille, for example, give starring roles to Giannelli Imbula and Florian Thauvin (both 22), as well as Benjamin Mendy (20) and Michy Batshuayi and Mario Lemina (both 21).
One of their key men, Andre Ayew, looks likely to leave the club in the summer, while the influential Nicolas Nkoulou has been out for a long spell with no definite date set for a return.
OL, similarly, rely on the likes of Corentin Tolisso (20) and Sam Umtiti, Clinton N’Jie and Nabil Fekir (all 21). Their key player—Yoann Gourcuff—is an injury-prone and nervy individual.
Consider these inexperienced collectives to that of Paris, who boast Champions League winners, serial Ligue 1 winners, as well as a World Cup-winning manager in Laurent Blanc, and you can see why the French public are backing the Parisians to see this one out.