Fourteen years. Fourteen long years of scarcity, frustration and home defeats. This Monday evening, in a molten-heated velodrome, 24 hours of a polemical postponement, Olympique de Marseille finally broke the curse by offering the scalp of its Parisian rival (1-0). A historic victory, acquired with art and the way, at the end of a tense classified and disputed under the specter of a golden ball ceremony which, at the same time, crowned a absent Parisian. A strong symbol: this evening, the Marseille collective overshadowed Parisian individuals.
Aguerd frees the velodrome, knight leads PSG
Everything was played, or almost, from the fifth minute, in a moment of rocking as brutal as it is outstanding. On a harmless corner, the velodrome held its breath. And then, the dumpling. Lucas Chevalier, the new Parisian porter, recruited to bring added value, completely lacked his air outing, offering Nayef Aguerd the opportunity to propel the ball at the back of the nets. 1-0. The irony of the timing is cruel: at the same time in Paris, his predecessor Gianluigi Donnarumma received the Yachine Trophy of best goalkeeper in the world. A terrible parallel, perfect symbol of the nightmarish evening experienced by PSG.
But summarizing this historical success to a simple opposing error would be a deep injustice towards Marseille performance. Far from curling to defend this goal from the sky, the OM of Roberto de Zerbi delivered a performance full of master's degree, tactical discipline and a mad audacity. Worn by an incandescent audience, the Phocaeans jostled the champion, creating the best occasions to kill the match much earlier, like this overpowered strike from Gouiri who crashed on the transverse (26th) or this volley of peace fitted which was brushing the post just before the break.
OM found the fault: a deserved victory in the classic (1-0)
Rulli, the guardian of the Marseille temple
Because opposite, a lessened Paris has tried to react, intermittently. But the few flashes of Vitinha or Hakimi, who finished in the top 10 of the Ballon d'Or, collided with a wall called Gerónimo Rulli. Imperial and serene, on the momentum of his performance against Real Madrid in the Champions League, the Argentinian porter has multiplied the decisive parades, disgusting the Parisian attackers and preserving with authority this precious advance. Where Paris had a weak link in goals, Marseille had a real rock.
It must also be said that this PSG was not an ogre tonight. Deprived of many offensive executives (Dembélé, Goué, Barcola, Neves), with a transparent gonçalo ramos, the club of the capital displayed a terribly apathetic and predictable face. Luis Enrique's tactical changes have changed anything in the case. Marseille, who had insisted so much to play this match without additional postponement despite the context, perfectly exploited the flaws of a reduced opponent. The bet was risky, it turned out to be beautifully winning.
Ligue 1 relaunched, OM too
This historic victory crosses a crazy week and completely revived the season of Olympique de Marseille after a hesitant start to the championship. It also gives interest to a Ligue 1 that was already said to be played, proving that Paris, even European champion, is not infallible. The evening will remain bitter for Parisians, perhaps consoled from the Ballon d'Or de Dembélé and the title of best coach for Enrique. Very futile individual awards in the face of the fervor of a velodrome which, tonight, has finally defeated its demons.
