Eleven years. That is how long the ban preventing PSG supporters from travelling to the Vélodrome for a Classique against OM has been in place. Renewed every season since 2015, the ban is being challenged this season before the administrative courts by the Collectif Ultras Paris.
The CUP has filed an urgent appeal with the Council of State to challenge the prefectural order of 28 August 2026. Since then, a ministerial order dated 16 September and published in the Official Journal has also banned the travel of Parisian supporters between the Île-de-France region and Marseille for Sunday's match.
A hearing, but not yet an authorisation
The Council of State has scheduled a hearing on the emergency appeal for Friday afternoon. The aim is to allow the judge to rule early enough to organise, if necessary, the travel of Parisian supporters.
But the hearing does not amount to a victory for the CUP. At this stage, the ban remains in force. The court still has to decide whether the measures taken by the authorities can be upheld or whether they must be suspended.
The case notably concerns the risks of public order disturbances cited by the authorities to justify the ban.
A Classique under sporting tension
On the pitch, Luis Enrique approaches this new Classique with solid experience of this fixture. The last meeting between the two sides, on 8 February at the Parc des Princes, ended in a spectacular 5-0 win for PSG, the biggest victory in the history of the Classique.
But the Parisian coach is wary of a deeply overhauled OM side. Speaking at a press conference on Friday, he pointed to the change of manager and the departure of many players, explaining that it was hard to know what to expect from the Marseille team.
'Hard to know what to expect' from OM, Luis Enrique summed up.
The mood in Marseille is no calmer. OM are on a run of four consecutive defeats, across all competitions, after their 4-1 loss away to Besiktas on Thursday in the Europa League.
On Sunday, the Classique will therefore be played on two fronts: on the Vélodrome pitch, but also before the Council of State, with the question of whether Parisian supporters will be present still unresolved.
Comments
By posting, you agree to our privacy policy.