French clubs Mid-Season Report: PSG and Monaco Thrive, Marseille Face Uphill Battle
As the Champions League group stage reaches its halfway point, the fortunes of French clubs are diverging. Paris Saint-Germain and AS Monaco find themselves in promising positions, while Olympique de Marseille faces a challenging path to qualification.
PSG appears more composed this season, securing a spot within the Champions League’s top 8 despite a recent defeat to Bayern Munich at the Parc des Princes. With 9 points,Luis Enrique’s squad currently sits 5th in the overall standings,trailing Manchester City,inter Milan,Arsenal,and Bayern.
AS Monaco overcame a rocky start – including a loss in Bruges and draws against Manchester City and Tottenham - with a crucial victory against Bodo Glimt. This win elevates ASM to 19th place with 5 points, provisionally qualifying them for the play-off round.
However, the outlook is considerably less optimistic for Olympique de Marseille. Despite a promising start with a win, subsequent defeats to Sporting and, crucially, a last-minute loss to Atalanta Bergamo have left OM in a precarious position. Currently ranked 25th, Roberto De Zerbi’s team is provisionally eliminated. While only 3 points separate them from Atlético Madrid (17th), a significant turnaround will be required. Marseille must deliver top-tier performances against Newcastle, union Saint-Gilloise, Bruges, and Liverpool to realistically contend for a play-off spot.
The possibility of all three French clubs advancing remains, but Marseille’s path is undeniably steep.
