His face is closed.
His smiles rarer than usual.
Dario Benedetto drags his spleen on the pitches.
Last Friday, André Villas-Boas took his striker aside, who arrived among the last in training.
"AVB" tried to cheer him up, of course, but also wanted to analyze what is wrong, at the moment, in the Marseille offensive animation.
"I think he's the best coach I've had in my entire career," assured the Argentine striker on TF 1. Author of 11 goals last season, OM's center-forward, mute since February 28, ensures that it will "reverse the trend.
“His club would need, moreover, a reinvigorated Pipa at the time of hosting, this Tuesday evening, Manchester City in the Champions League.
Confidence at half mast
“It's very difficult for him, he needs confidence,” admits Spanish defender Alvaro Gonzalez, who talks regularly with the Argentine.
After the defeat against Olympiakos, Dario Benedetto confessed his powerlessness to André Villas-Boas: "He said to me," I can't take it any longer, I'm dry, I want to score ", says the Marseille coach .
"The sense of goal never disappears," assures former OM striker Marc Berdoll.
I had long scoreless stretches too and it came back on its own.
You have to try, provoke your luck!
"For Berdoll, author of 53 goals with OM between 1977 and 1980, the important thing is that AVB continues to establish his center forward:" He must make him play.
"
Variable geometry support
Officially, Dario Benedetto has “all the confidence” of his trainer.
He promised on Monday that he would start against Manchester City: “It's up to me to help him score his first goal, and after that, I think it can happen for him.
“He always made it start this season, except in Paris, where he placed Maxime Lopez at the forefront.
“When you play a midfield as a false attacker against PSG, it shakes the confidence of your attacker, launches Elie Baup the ex-Marseille coach (2012-2013).
They are hypersensitive.
"
Entering during the match at the Park, the unlucky Benedetto was also denied a goal for a non-existent offside from Florian Thauvin.
Elie Baup believes that "SuperDario" also suffered during the transfer window: "Villas-Boas said he was looking for a striker to compete with him ... At a time when he was not successful, he was necessarily affected.
"
A striker deprived of balloons
Against Lorient, Benedetto only touched 28 balls and shot only once, head, and side.
“It needs to be served more,” notes Baup.
We can blame our partners for not using it enough.
»Florian Thauvin and Dimitri Payet transplant a lot in the axis and try to make the difference alone.
The laterals make very few crosses.
And the low block of OM forces Dario Benedetto to descend to the central circle to recover the ball.
But whatever.
Marc Berdoll is convinced: “He will score against Manchester City, it's been too long!
You can write it… ”
