Ligue 1

PSG without Dani Alves against Marseille

The French giants will be missing their Brazilian star for their trip to play their Ligue 1 rivals, who are eight points behind them at the top of the table.

Soccer Football - Champions League - R.S.C. Anderlecht vs Paris St Germain - Constant Vanden Stock Stadium, Brussels, Belgium - October 18, 2017   Paris Saint-Germain’s Neymar celebrates scoring their third goal with Dani Alves    REUTERS/Francois L
FRANCOIS LENOIR

Paris Saint-Germain will have to do without Dani Alves for Sunday's Ligue 1 encounter with eternal rivals Marseille, the club announced. 

PSG without Dani Alves against Marseille
Paris Saint-Germain's Brazilian defender Dani Alves is out for the match against MarseilleEMMANUEL DUNAND

Meunier likely to start with Alves out

PSG said that Alves was currently undergoing "treatment" without specifying the extent of the problem, and so the Belgian international Thomas Meunier is likely to start Sunday night's match at the Velodrome at right-back.

Alves' fellow Brazilian Thiago Silva is back in the PSG squad after missing the 4-0 midweek win at Anderlecht in the Champions League and could start as Unai Emery's side aim to continue their unbeaten start to the campaign.

France's big match: Le Classique

Meetings of Marseille and PSG, labelled 'Le Classique' or 'Le Classico', are the biggest grudge matches in French football.

However, PSG have been utterly dominant in meetings with the southern side since their Qatari takeover in 2011 and have not lost at the Velodrome since November of that year.

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Marseille came into the weekend in fourth place in the Ligue 1 table, eight points behind Paris, who are top.

Saturday's Ligue 1 round up, with Balde finally scoring for Monaco.

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