The expectations were high, the disappointment is even higher. Sunday evening, at the Orange Vélodrome, what everyone described as a gala match between two big names from the French championship finally turned into a demonstration. Despite a white-hot Marseille enclosure and more determined than ever to put an end to years of failure, the Olympians once again bit the dust against PSG (0-3). Very quickly jostled by excited Parisians, Roberto De Zerbi’s men logically surrendered in a fight which, in reality, never really began. Constantly put under pressure in the midfield and overwhelmed by the liveliness of the Ile-de-France wingers, OM cracked for the first time on an overflow from Nuno Mendes, served behind the defense by Bradley Barcola, and concluded upwind by a Joao Neves opportunist (7th). An action alone symbolizing the passivity of the Marseille rearguard during this 9th day.
The defense took on water
So yes, some will continue to emphasize the severe red card sent by François Letexier to Amine Harit from the 20th minute of play. However, if this fact of play logically influenced the rest of the match, the collective performance of the Marseillais remains very far from the standards hoped for by Marseille’s followers. Overwhelmed in the duel, unable to respond to the intensity displayed by Luis Enrique’s flock, OM were also guilty of a glaring lack of technical accuracy and intolerable individual errors at this level. As proof, this terrible blunder by Leonardo Balerdi, at fault on the break goal by diverting a relatively harmless cross into the empty goal of a Rulli who was preparing to pick the ball easily (29th). And what about the third Ile-de-France goal where Mason Greenwood lost the leather too easily before seeing Dembélé and Barcola play against a defense that was still far too apathetic (40th).
A real collective disaster also reflected in the lack of pride of Gerónimo Rulli’s teammates, dominated in all areas of the field… Enough to push many Olympian supporters to leave the aisles of the Vélodrome stadium early, breaking the attendance record announced (66,115 spectators). Stunned, OM still managed to limit the damage upon returning from the locker room despite several new huge chances in Paris (47th, 56th, 72nd, 77th, 87th, 90th). Not enough, however, to enhance the results of another disastrous evening against the sworn enemy where each line of the Marseille system disappointed. “It’s difficult. We had a lot of expectations. It happened very quickly. We will have to leave again next week. I understand the supporters’ frustration because we are too. We wanted to get closer to the top of the table. The red card was very difficult, but we have to come back against Nantes. We will have to win and continue to work”regretted, in this respect, the Marseille goalkeeper, too often abandoned by his defense.
25.4% ball possession, 1 shot on target, another red…
“It’s not good for us in front of our fans. We knew it would be a difficult match. We worked to do better but it was difficult. We’re going to have to do better next week.”added Luis Henrique, invisible and credited with a 2 by the FM editorial staff. A terrible disappointment leading, at the same time, to its share of questions. Are OM, today, sufficiently armed to really compete with PSG? How can we remedy the defensive problems seen since the start of the season (11 goals conceded)? Can the sidelining of Chancel Mbemba last, especially given the difficulties displayed by Leonardo Balerdi in recent weeks? Somewhat rhetorical but essential questions to ask at a time when OM already finds itself six points behind PSG, tied with LOSC and under pressure from Lens, Reims and even OL.
While waiting to find the answers, the Marseillais continue, whatever happens, their endless ordeal against the Parisian rival. Thus, OM have not won at the Vélodrome in Ligue 1 against PSG since November 27, 2011. Warren Zaire-Emery was 5 years old then… Worse still, OM’s last goal at home against PSG dates back to October 2017… An eternity against the Parisians who, for their part, scored 3 goals in the first period against OM at the Stade Vélodrome in official competition for the first time in their history, at the same time exceeding the 500 mark minutes of play without conceding a single goal on Olympian soil (in L1). Finally, Marseille suffered its 51st defeat in 108 matches against Paris, at least five more than against any other opponent in all competitions. Figures summarizing the indisputable domination of the Rouge et Bleu and logically provoking the frustration of Roberto De Zerbi. Present at a press conference, the one who expected to see a courageous and determined team has, in fact, suffered the blow.
Roberto De Zerbi didn’t like the attitude…
“Tonight (Sunday), we lacked courage, personality, even though we had prepared for this type of match until Harit was sent off. It’s a problem, we can lose but when you wear the OM jersey, you can’t play without personality. I didn’t like the first twenty minutes. Without this expulsion, we would have managed to get into the match, to break free. But we will have to make a lucid analysis because I didn’t like this match, I don’t want to play with fear in my stomach, I don’t like it whether it’s Brighton, Sassuolo or OM. I’m not afraid of losing, but of playing badly.”. Strong words also used by Pierre-Emile Höjbjerg, passing through the mixed zone and logically dejected after such a failure. “We are very disappointed, it hurts, it hurts very much, a defeat like that, especially in the first half because in the second, we did what we could, with the heart to leave the field with our heads held high but it’s true that losing 3-0 at home against PSG hurts a lot.”noted the 29-year-old Dane before sending a big message.
“The red card doesn’t help us, even more so against PSG who control the ball well but we didn’t attack this match well. It is up to us to take responsibility, to question ourselves. Fortunately we have a coach who analyzes things very well and a locker room with a good mentality but we now have to show that this kind of defeat is not possible. I would love to say words to you, words, but this is difficult. I can just tell you that we must take our responsibilities, assume responsibility and make sure that this doesn’t happen again. The championship is not won today, it is not lost either, it is match by match but it is true that matches like that, for us, for the club, for the people, it is a more important match and it is up to us to be aware of it, to feel it and to question ourselves. We will do everything to come back stronger and put things back in place next Sunday against Nantes. We still have a lot to learn”. Sent back to their beloved studies by their biggest rival, OM will now have to learn from their mistakes…
