At the Vélodrome stadium,
Like Amine Harit, Olympique de Marseille likes to suffer, but a little more when there is a victory at the end. “It’s even better to win like that than 3-0,” the midfielder even savored after OM’s close victory against Ajax Amsterdam (4-3) , Thursday at the Vélodrome stadium for the 5th day of the Europa League group stages.
“I felt like I was reliving the first leg again”
At the end of normal time, the Marseillais were tied on the scoreboard after a completely crazy scenario, which was repeated each time before the final deliverance. Not sure, moreover, that the supporters share the same opinion as Harit as this draw sounded like a defeat. Because after leading three times, the Marseillais scuttled themselves as many times. “We manage to score every time and they come back to score. I had the impression of reliving the first leg (3-3) but in the other direction,” complained Amine Harit afterwards.
First twice by the powerful Ajax striker, Brian Brobbey who spoiled the party by equalizing each time in the same minute or almost as a Marseille goal (10th, 26th). Before an immense air conditioning fell on the Vélodrome with Akpom’s diving header at the end of the match (79th), while Ajax was reduced to 10 after the expulsion of Berghuis (63rd). And especially after the gem offered by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who gave his team the advantage for a third time just after the break (48th).
With a moribund OM, incapable of scoring, of winning, and who have made us far too accustomed to being caught, we thought that mass had been said and that the cathedral would no longer vibrate again. But that was without counting on the player of the match, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang who took responsibility to convert a new penalty caused by Sarr (90+3).
“I’m prepared to concede five if we score six and win 6-5”
“A big sigh of relief” for Amine Harit and the entire Vélodrome:
“Tonight it was the best thing to win at home, in front of our still magnificent crowd this evening. There was no other alternative than victory, it’s a match that will do the heads good. Particularly because of the appearance and the end, it’s even better to win a match like that than 3-0. »
Everything is not perfect far from it, and while OM conceded as many goals as they scored when Gattuso arrived, the Italian coach and his team have rather accustomed us to the diet in recent times. time. With only one goal scored in the last four Ligue 1 matches. Thursday evening his players started scoring again, but not only that. “Right now I’m willing to take five if we score six and win 6-5. The important thing right now is to win. Afterwards, we will study the goals scored,” Gattuso preferred to brush aside at a press conference.
Paradoxically and unlike recent seasons, Olympique de Marseille thus achieved a third victory in a row on the European scene. It allows them to regain the lead of the group in Brighton, where the Marseillais will play for first place in two weeks. But before that, the weekly bread returns on Sunday against the Stade Rennais, still at the Vélodrome, and it will absolutely be necessary to duplicate the European performances on the national scene. “It’s a match that should do good for the head, to say that we are capable of winning matches. We had the impression that despite all the efforts made, it never worked out in our favor. This evening is the case, we must rely on this match and that we can do the same thing in the championship to win matches,” hopes Amine Harit. Because “today, looking at our league ranking is a little scary,” admitted Gattuso.