After Galatasaray – Marseille: At OM, European distress

If the Marseille club could still cling to its European DNA, it now needs a booster dose. Since his epic which led him to the final of C3, in 2018, Marseille has chained the first disastrous laps. OM have won only one of their last seventeen European Cup matches (2-1), against Olympiakos, and have lost two-thirds. With, at its head, three coaches with completely different approaches.

In Istanbul, the limits of the project initiated by Pablo Longoria and guided by Jorge Sampaoli have become so glaring that the extenuating circumstances (a hostile environment, new throws of projectiles, key players – Payet, Ünder, Rongier -, absent) do not were not enough to suffocate them.

Disappointing sportingly, worrying economically

The Marseille team was less and less convincing collectively, it was also weighed down by its individualities. “We gave two goals for no reason, on unprovoked errors and that complicated everything, admitted the Argentinian technician at a press conference. At this level, the opponent does not forgive this kind of mistake. […] It is not possible to give gifts every match. The pressure in the stadium is very strong, we knew it was going to happen like that. But we are OM and we must assume. “

So refreshing at the start of the season, Marseille did not have enough momentum to see further. If the Europa League is not really lucrative, it could have at least been able to amortize, somewhat, a particularly spending summer (62 million euros invested, excluding future purchase options) and loosen the grip . Especially since the European showcase remains essential to promote certain assets (Kamara, Caleta-Car) which will allow management to reassure the DNCG at the end of the season. Their evening performance should not have tickled potential buyers.

“We have a young group, which must continue to build and grow, noted Jorge Sampaoli. But faster, otherwise the project will not be successful“It therefore remains to go find, in a very small spare wheel, a ticket for the Europa League Conference, not very attractive financially and sportingly.”We made an effort last season to qualify, so every European game we have, we will play it, tried to convince the Argentine coach. It is a new tournament with valuable opponents. But we gotta try to make things better. “And it is urgent.