The threat of resignation from André Villas-Boas and the great anger piqued by Jacques-Henri Eyraud obviously did not have the merit of creating any kind of shock.
And yet, after its defeats at the Vélodrome against Nîmes (1-2), then Lens (0-1), Olympique de Marseille had no room for error in Monaco on Saturday night.
In order not to be definitively let down in the fight for the podium, and for European places, he had to stop this spiral of failure.
But the head elsewhere, undermined by internal conflicts and disappointing results, OM logically bowed on the Monegasque lawn (3-1).
L '@ OM_Officiel has lost its last 3 matches played in @ Ligue1UberEats.
His worst streak in the top flight since April 2015 (4).
#ASMOM
- Foot Stats (@Statsdufoot) January 23, 2021
Except at the start of the match, perhaps, when Nemanja Radonjić (12th, 0-1) had shown his coach that he can be more than a supersub, the Phocéens hardly existed, clearly lacking in control.
With the recent arrival of Polish striker Arkadiusz Milik, and pending the return to the eleven of Dimitri Payet - replacing for the fourth time in the last five Ligue 1 matches in 2021 - places will become expensive in the attacking sector.
Milik and Payet haven't changed anything
But like the squalls that swept over Louis-II, the tide quickly turned for OM, largely jostled by formidable Monegasques.
The ball kicks of Guillermo Maripán (48th, 1-1) and Aurélien Tchouaméni (75th, 2-1) on corners, then the firecracker on free kick from Stevan Jovetić (90th + 1, 3-1) finished sanction Marseilles feverishness.
The replacement of a transparent Dario Benedetto by Milik (59th) did not serve as an electric shock either.
Marseille was not more inspired with its new scorer, logically appeared short of form and somewhat borrowed and no more after the entry of Payet (68th).
⏱️ 59 '|
#ASMOM 1⃣-1⃣
💥 Arkadiusz Milik makes his debut for Olympique de Marseille.
He replaces Pipa Benedetto.
pic.twitter.com/mjvDBNg7C7
- Olympique de Marseille (@OM_Officiel) January 23, 2021
The Olympians did not deserve better against a Monegasque team now one point behind OL, and which has a fourth success in a row.
For OM, that's three falls in the Championship, which had never happened under the Villas-Boas era.
Who must probably be wondering, if it is not time to follow through on his threat.
“We are not looking for an excuse.
It's a complicated time.
I have known others here, but we will not let go ”, promises, at the end of the meeting, Steve Mandanda, the Marseille captain.