Ligue 1: Matteo Guendouzi, an excellent pick and already a taulier at OM

Abundant hair and constant activity.

Difficult to miss Matteo Guendouzi during an Olympique de Marseille match.

This Sunday, against Lorient, his training club (4-1), he signed a goal and an assist.

He is also the author of the deflected strike in his own goals by Houboulang Mendes at the very end of the match.

With a total of 78 balls affected and more than 93% of successful passes, he greatly contributed to the success of OM, which took 3rd place in the standings, one game behind.

To discover

• Ligue 1 fixtures and results

• League 1 standings

Trained in Lorient, the 22-year-old midfielder left very early for Arsenal in 2018. An early leap into the very deep end of the Premier League that did not frighten this player with a strong character who succeeded to make a place of holder within the London club then coached by Unai Emery. But the arrival of Mikel Arteta on the bench of the Gunners complicated the situation for Guendouzi whose relations with the new coach are rather icy. The player was then loaned to Hertha Berlin in the Bundesliga last season, where he played around 20 matches. Last summer, the Habs found their Arsenal club who chose to lend them again, to Olympique de Marseille this time. A purchase option, just over 10 million euros, was even fixed in the contract.There is no doubt that the Olympian management is already thinking of lifting this option as long as the player gives satisfaction since his arrival in the Bouches-du-Rhône.

A versatile player with multiple qualities

Difficult to clearly designate the position of Matteo Guendouzi since his arrival at OM so much his trainer, Jorge Sampaoli, likes going beyond his duties.

Sometimes aligned in the middle in front of the defense, sometimes positioned higher in support of the offensive players, even slightly off-center on the side, the former Lorient is sailing in the midfield.

But whatever the position, his ability to scrape the balls off opponents' feet makes him an essential cog in the Sampaoli system, based on intense pressing and high ball recovery.

To read also "There is more dialogue": Dimitri Payet compares Bielsa and Sampaoli

The former Arsenal player is also capable of throwing himself with the ball or clearing spaces in the midfield thanks to his forward runs. On the technical level, Matteo Guendouzi is not left out. The French midfielder has managed more than 91% of his passes this season in the league. The panoply is wide but the main interested party intends to complete it. “

“, He said just before the match against Saint-Etienne (3-1) in which he scored his first goal with OM.

Be more decisive in the zone of truth.

This is the aspect of the game in which the long-haired Marseille still has to progress.

But by being involved in 4 goals in 9 Ligue 1 games with OM, he is already doing better than in his 89 games with Lorient, Arsenal and Hertha Berlin.

A fiery and ultra competitive temperament

Matteo Guendouzi is also an angry temperament and an already strong character. A fiery player, sometimes difficult to channel. "

 " said the player in an interview with

. “

 “, Analyzed his former coach in Lorient, Mickaël Landreau, in a program of the Late Football Club on Canal +.

Reduce Guendouzi to his impulsive character? Too reductive, as confirmed by his current coach, Jorge Sampaoli, with a fairly similar temperament: “

», Declared the Argentine technician conquered by his protege.

A volcanic player in a hot club.

For the moment the marriage is ideal and even allowed the player to be called up to the France team by Didier Deschamps during the last two meetings.

But to get a place with the Blues, Matteo Guendouzi will have to prove that he is able to display such a level over a full season but also against stronger opponents, such as PSG who will travel to the Vélodrome next Sunday.

“

», Announces a Guendouzi, conqueror.

A victory for OM next Sunday will necessarily require a great match from its tireless midfielder.