Olympique de Marseille welcomes Stade Rennais on Saturday evening at 9 pm, as part of the 22nd day of Ligue 1. A meeting unlike any other as the first leg left bad memories for the Marseillais.
The Marseille players conceded a bitter defeat (1-2) on questionable arbitration decisions according to Marseille coach André Villas-Boas and his staff.
His Rennes counterpart, Julien Stéphan returned to the facts of the game at a pre-match press conference: “There was a fault by Gueye before that which would have deserved a yellow card.
If the yellow card comes out at that point, we don't even discuss the next situation.
There must be red five minutes before, that's all.
It was a fact of the game. We didn't talk about it for three days.
Last year, we had some unfavorable playing facts when we went there, including a hand from Strootman that had not been whistled and a penalty that should have been awarded to us at 1-1.
We didn't do a ton of it for three days either
…
”
Stéphan speaks about the behavior of OM
In addition to these statements, the Breton coach was not very gentle with the Olympian training, questioning their disputes.
“
Marseille is the team that has received the most cards since the start of the season.
There are reasons.
And I don't think the valid excuse is to say that the referees are more severe with Marseille than other clubs.
The referees are honest, with integrity, they make their decisions with their soul and conscience, according to what they see on the field.
[…]
The decisions of the referees must be respected.
At times, they are wrong, like us, like the players, like everyone else.
It happens.
There is no subject.
There is no debate.
"
Marseillais in "crisis of results"
A defeat difficult to digest for the Phocéens since it resulted in a series of bad results in the league (1 victory, 2 draws and 4 defeats).
This slump relegated the Phocéens to sixth place (32 points) in Ligue 1, and an air of crisis which highlights the difficulties of the Olympian training.
A state of form unlike the Breton club.
The Rennes players have had a series of good results, for a record of five wins, two draws and one defeat.
At the dawn of this opposition, Stade Rennais is ranked ahead of OM, in fifth position (36 points), with one more match.
"I am responsible for the current results which are a disaster" concedes Portuguese coach Villas-Boas at a pre-match press conference.
The big difference with the first leg concerns the paradoxical state of form between two teams, OM are this time looking for confidence while Rennes are advancing straight to the podium.
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