When third-placed Marseille host Ligue 1 pacesetters Paris Saint-Germain at the Vélodrome on Sunday night, it should be the football taking centre stage. Hardcore fans from both sides have contrived, however, to ensure that homophobia and thuggery strip the lustre from what will be an intriguing contest.
Marseille, under Roberto De Zerbi, have shown increasing guile and nous over the first eight games to be considered plausible title challengers to a PSG side still reconfiguring its identity without record goal-scorer Kylian Mbappé.
