After qualifying for the round of 16 of the Europa League, this Thursday evening thanks to their 3-1 victory in the return play-off against Shakhtar Donetsk (2-2 in the first leg), the Marseillais wanted to spare a thought for Gennaro Gattuso, left at the beginning of the week.
Just a week ago, at halftime of this double confrontation, it was he who presented himself in front of the microphones after such a frustrating draw. Seven days later, he’s still on everyone’s minds. While OM qualified for the round of 16 of the Europa League this Thursday evening thanks to their 3-1 victory against Shakhtar Donetsk (2-2 in the first leg), the Marseille players had a thought for Gennaro Gattuso , left at the very beginning of the week.
>> Relive OM-Shakhtar Donetsk
“We all have a thought for the coach who left. We think of him, confided Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang this Thursday evening. He is a golden person who always defended us, who took everything on himself while “We are all responsible for his departure.”
“I hope he was proud of us tonight”
“I have a very big thought for Gattuso because he did a remarkable job, supported Amine Harit. Until the end, he was with us. He is an exceptional person, a very good coach. I wanted to dedicate to him this victory. He will be part of our season no matter what despite the difficult times. I hope he was proud of us tonight.”
At the start of the week, Gattuso could not resist his team’s new defeat against Brest, Sunday evening at the end of the 22nd day, and was replaced by Jean-Louis Gasset. With only one victory since the start of 2024, in the 32nd final of the Coupe de France against the amateurs from Thionville (1-0, January 7), the Italian technician seemed without a solution. After the first leg against Shakhtar, he also confided all his helplessness. A week later, his former players found some of the answers.