Complicated week for OM. After their defeat in the Champions League at Sporting Portugal (2-1), the Marseillais fell back into Ligue 1 against Lens with the same score. A setback which is costly for Roberto De Zerbi's men, now overtaken by PSG and their opponent of the day at the top of the standings.
Benjamin Pavard, already at fault in C1, once again experienced a nightmarish evening. The French defender caused the Lensois penalty before scoring an own goal in the second half. Despite this, his coach defended him at a press conference, refusing to make him a scapegoat.
“The best referee in Ligue 1”
“The two defeats cannot be explained by Pavard's two performances. He was unfortunate in Lisbon on the equalizer by a few centimeters, then diverting the ball into the top corner.explained the Italian coach to the media. Even more surprising, Roberto De Zerbi wanted to salute the work of Stéphanie Frappart, referee of the match.
Often criticized in recent years, the Frenchwoman has received unexpected support. “I haven't seen the image again this evening, but I'm sure he made a mistake. Ms. Frappart is for me the best referee in Ligue 1”said De Zerbi. A rare statement in a context where French arbitration is more than ever under fire from criticism.
