Marquinhos emerging as PSG's natural leader in tough season

Paris Saint-Germain was barely hanging on against Manchester United in the Champions League when Marquinhos emerged again to help his team secure a win.

The center half is shining at both ends of the field this season, and the French league leader again needs him at his best for a difficult match away to Montpellier on Saturday.

Montpellier has won four straight games to move into fifth place, and injury-depleted PSG will have tired legs after traveling back from Wednesday night's game in England.

PSG's Marquinhos scores his side's second goal during a Group H Champions League soccer match between Manchester United and Paris Saint Germain at the Old Trafford stadium in Manchester, England, Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2020. (AP PhotoDave Thompson)

That is some good news for Montpellier, which has been been rocked by the withdrawal of top scorer Andy Delort after he tested positive for the coronavirus for a second time in three months.

Delort and Gaetan Laborde have scored or assisted on 18 goals in 12 games, with the more technically assured Delort netting six times.

His absence leaves midfielder Teji Savanier with even more to do pushing forward. He is on the fringes of a call-up to the France squad and has contributed to the strong start with three goals and three assists.

PSG's Marquinhos argues during a Group H Champions League soccer match between Manchester United and Paris Saint Germain at the Old Trafford stadium in Manchester, England, Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2020. (AP PhotoDave Thompson)

Despite significantly boosting his salary after joining from Nimes for a club record 9.5 million euros ($11.5 million) last year, the locally-born Savanier is far removed from the glitz and glamor afforded to PSG star Neymar after his world-record transfer from Barcelona for 222 million euros ($270 million).

Savanier still lives in his native Romani neighborhood of City Gely and enjoys having barbecues with the locals.

Montpellier is a tough place to travel, even without fans present due to the pandemic. A win would move Montpellier one point ahead of PSG — which has conceded five goals in two league games — and hand the defending champions a fourth defeat of a tough campaign.

PSG's Neymar, reacts behind Marquinhos after a missed chance during a Group H Champions League soccer match between Manchester United and Paris Saint Germain at the Old Trafford stadium in Manchester, England, Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2020. (AP PhotoDave Thompson)

So Marquinhos will have his work cut out to keep Montpellier's physical side at bay.

But he should be well prepared, having played on against United despite getting cut around the eye after receiving a stray elbow from forward Anthony Martial as they jumped for the ball.

Neymar scored the first and third goals in the 3-1 win at United, but Marquinhos really made the difference with a crucial goal-line block at 1-1 and a poacher's finish in the penalty box to put PSG ahead against the run of play.

Not for the first time, Marquinhos bailed his more illustrious teammates out.

Back in August, it was Marquinhos who netted a last-minute equalizer against Atalanta in the Champions League quarterfinals, then put PSG ahead in a semifinal win against Leipzig.

Neymar and Kylian Mbappe failed to score during the knockout stages last season, and Mbappe has now gone a staggering nine games without a goal in the competition after more wasteful finishing against United.

France's World Cup-winning star last scored in the competition against Galatasary on Nov. 12 last year.

Thankfully for PSG, Neymar has rediscovered his scoring touch

But while Neymar grabbed the headlines for his brace against United, it was noticeable how PSG coach Thomas Tuchel put more emphasis on his captain Marquinhos' leadership qualities in his post-match comments.

The Brazilian leads by example more than countryman Neymar — who spoke after the game of wishing to be reunited with his former Barcelona teammate Lionel Messi — or Mbappe, who in his growing frustration squandered a clear chance in the second half rather than passing to the unmarked Neymar.

That miss might have proved costly, without Marquinhos around.

More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/Soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

It's been more than three years since Dimitri Payet last played in a France shirt. At 35, his best years are behind him and his legs get tired quicker than they used to.

But with one last chance to play at a World Cup, Payet is doing everything to earn a seat on the plane that will carry the defending champions to Qatar in November.

He has been stellar both on and off the field for Marseille this season, despite having to deal with the psychological challenges brought on by repeated attacks by opposing fans.

Marseille's Dimitri Payet shoots a free kick during the Europa Conference League quarterfinal soccer match between Olympique Marseille and PAOK FC at the Velodrome stadium in Marseille, southern France, Thursday, April 7, 2022. (AP PhotoDaniel Cole)

Often mocked for his tendency to put on weight, Payet has maintained his fitness throughout the season and has been crucial in leading Marseille toward Champions League qualification.

Payet's performances have not gone unnoticed by France coach Didier Deschamps, who is not closing the door on his return amid fierce competition in the team for the attacking spots.

“At one point he had an important role, even decisive," Deschamps told local newspaper La Provence last month. “He can still be called up. It sounds like I’m not saying anything, and that I never call this kind of player. But it means something. It will depend on the situation.”

PAOK's Eleftherios Lyratzis, left, tries to stop Marseille's Dimitri Payet during the Europa Conference League quarterfinal soccer match between Olympique Marseille and PAOK FC at the Velodrome stadium in Marseille, southern France, Thursday, April 7, 2022. (AP PhotoDaniel Cole)

Payet has made 38 appearances and scored eight goals with France. The Réunion-born player started his international career in 2010 and became a regular starter in the team that reached the European Championship final in 2016.

He missed out on winning the 2018 World Cup with France because of an injury suffered in the Europa League final that year. His last appearance with Les Bleus dates back to October 2018, when he came on as a substitute for 23 minutes in a friendly against Iceland.

Facing competition from players of the caliber of Kilyan Mbappé, Karim Benzema, Antoine Griezmann and Wissam Ben Yedder, Payet knows his chances to make the cut are slim.

PAOK's Eletherios Lyratzis, background, holds Marseille's Dimitri Payet during the Europa Conference League, second leg, quarterfinal soccer match between PAOK FC and Olympique Marseille at the Toumba stadium in the northern city of Thessaloniki, Greece, Thursday, April 14, 2022. (AP PhotoGiannis Papanikos)

“Being in the 23-man squad would be amazing, the attacking pool of talent is incredible,” the Marseille captain told L'Equipe recently. “I would come back to polish Karim’s boots if necessary."

With five matches left to play in the league, Marseille looks set to finish second behind runaway leader Paris Saint-Germain in the automatic Champions League spot. The nine-time champions hold a six-point lead over Rennes and Strasbourg ahead of Sunday's trip to Reims.

Payet has scored 12 goals — one short of his career best with Saint-Étienne more than a decade ago — and delivered eight assists in 29 league matches. He was again decisive this week in delaying PSG's title celebrations as Marseille rallied to clinch a 3-2 victory over Nantes with Payet converting two penalties.

PSG has a 15-point lead at the top of the standings and will claim a record-equaling 10th league title if it does not lose at home against Lens on Saturday.

To build his case for a shot at the World Cup, Payet can also point to his excellent displays on the continental stage. This month, his winning goal in Thessaloniki clinched a 3-1 aggregate victory over PAOK that led the 1993 European champions into the semifinals of the Europa Conference League, where they will face Feyenoord.

“The objective was to come here to qualify and qualify for the semifinals," Payet said after scoring his third goal in five Europa Conference League matches. "So it’s mission accomplished.”

More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports