There was a game to play on Wednesday evening at the Estádio José Alvalade. Faced with a rather weak Sporting Lisbon and far from being an armada, OM seemed to hold their ground after a controlled first act and an anthology goal. But that was without taking into account the stupidity of Emerson Palmieri. A grotesque simulation in the opposing area to obtain a phantom penalty, and everything changed. Sent off just before the break, the Italian full-back condemned his team to playing more than one half ten against eleven. Marseille, who were leading the score thanks to a gem from Paixão, collapsed in the second half by conceding two goals which transformed this Portuguese evening into a nightmare (2-1). This defeat ends a series of five consecutive victories and hurts infinitely more than a simple accounting setback. OM had the match in hand before squandering everything through indiscipline.
Paixão illuminates, Palmieri weighs down everything
The fourteenth minute will go down as one of the most beautiful Olympian moments in the Champions League. Paixão, already the author of a double against Ajax in the previous match and who is walking on water at the moment, has signed a marvel. After catching a cross from Aubameyang, the Brazilian was in control, eliminating his opponent with a devastating hook before sending a curling shot from the right which was going to lodge in the top corner. His third attempt of the match already, proof of his inspiration of the evening. Marseille largely dominated, Geronimo Rulli only had to focus on two or three situations at the start, and everything seemed to be smiling for Roberto De Zerbi's men. But six minutes before the break, Emerson Palmieri did the irreparable. Already warned of a first rather severe yellow card in the 39th minute, the Italian full-back simulated a foul in the opposing area to obtain a penalty. The referee initially allowed himself to be fooled before consulting the VAR, noticing the deception and sanctioning the Italian international with a second yellow card which was as logical as it was avoidable. Penalty cancelled, expulsion completed. OM finished the first period with ten men and a mountain to climb.
Sporting 2-1 OM: Palmieri’s stupidity weighs down the Phocaeans
Forced to lower his ambitions, De Zerbi made two tactical changes at the break. Matt O'Riley and Murillo came on in place of Vermeeren and Mason Greenwood, a double defensive change to lock down spaces and preserve the advantage. An understandable but questionable choice given the weakness displayed by Sporting. Certainly, caution was necessary with a man less for forty-five minutes, but the Portuguese had not shown anything transcendent in the first period. The impression remains that there was a better shot to play by continuing to press rather than cowering. Nothing says that by playing more offensively, Marseille would not have conceded, but the feeling of a missed opportunity persists against an opponent who was clearly not superior. The Olympians did not suffer too much for a good part of the second half, but the resistance eventually gave way.
The fatal collapse at the end of the match
In the 70th minute, Marseille suffered a penalty. Poor defensive alignment, particularly from Benjamin Pavard, allowed Catamo to be thrown behind the defense. The Mozambican, who had just entered the game, found the fault with a low shot. A goal everywhere, and suddenly everything became possible for the Portuguese who no longer believed in it. In the 86th minute, it was the final blow. Allison Santos tried her luck from afar, a seemingly innocuous shot which accidentally hit Pavard before deceiving Rulli, helpless on this cruel deviation. From a goal lead to a defeat, the scenario became nightmarish. In the final moments, Pavard clashed with Araujo again and received a yellow card for this unnecessary gesture of humor. Symbol of an evening where the Olympian nerves gave way.
This defeat hurts infinitely more than a simple accounting setback. Marseille leaves Portugal with zero points even though a victory was clearly possible against an opponent within reach. This type of failed operation could weigh heavily in the race for qualification, especially since OM pays to learn but pays dearly. The momentum is broken after five consecutive victories, the team affected mentally as well as financially. There are five games left in this phase of the Champions League to recover, but the lesson is bitter. Palmieri's simulation will remain as the fatal error of an evening which had started so well with the jewel of Paixão. In this merciless competition, indiscipline and stupidity are never forgiving. De Zerbi will have to quickly set the record straight to prevent this misstep from turning into a crisis of confidence before the crucial deadlines that await his team.
