The Ligue 1 ball had not yet rolled that we already thought the days of Igor Tudor were numbered.
On August 1, less than a month after the Croatian coach took office, several OM players demanded a meeting with their leaders.
Among them, the most mentioned name, that of the captain, Dimitri Payet.
His voice resonates louder than the others at the Commanderie: he is the idol of the supporters, proclaimed "
Marseillais for life
" with a contract until 2024, and a guaranteed retraining.
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Like others, the attacking midfielder was rushed by the muscular methods of his coach, copiously whistled during the first match of the season at the Vélodrome, against Reims (4-1 victory).
On the eve of hosting Frankfurt in the Champions League this Tuesday (9 p.m.), Tudor, six wins in seven L1 matches, seems to have won his bet against Payet, who is limited in playing time. A simplistic vision that should be nuance.
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Payet's top 5 goals with Olympique de Marseille
The bench as he had never seen it since 2019
“
There is no Tudor-Payet problem, no worries,
swore the former French international on August 28.
These are choices, he is the boss and you have to respect him.
“These choices are having him start on the bench in the first three matches, giving him only 13, 21 and then 25 minutes on the field.
Before establishing him, this famous August 28, in Nice (3-0 victory).
Replacing three matches in a row at kick-off, Payet had not known this in L1 since 2019, when Rudi Garcia gently reinstated him after an injury.
“
I wasn't dead.
I've been working and waiting for a month.
And when you are put on, you have to be efficient
, ”said Payet.
The Reunionese wants to be lucid: it's not a war of egos.
Tudor simply judges that Payet is not essential to what he wants to put in place.
A football where attackers cannot fail to defend, and must chain high-intensity runs to squirt on the counter-attack.
A game plan which makes OM the co-leader of Ligue 1 with PSG, and which corresponds less to the natural qualities of Payet, 35, who, over time, must be spared.
“
At 36, 40 or 60 years old, I will always want to be on the ground
”, however warned the former Nantes and Stéphanois.
There are a lot of matches, everyone will be important, especially when you play every three days.
Igor Tudor, coach of Olympique de Marseille
Payet has to do with it.
The Velodrome too.
The hostility towards Tudor, targeted by tags at the Commandery less than a month ago, is going downhill.
OM lovers relish their Olympic form, illustrated by the successful debut of star Alexis Sanchez (4 goals in 6 matches).
The Chilean, like Cengiz Ünder, Amine Harit, Luis Suarez or Gerson, constitutes increased competition for Payet, holder twice in a row before being forfeited against Auxerre (calf), then left on the bench at Tottenham in the Champions League ( 2-0), and again against Lille last Saturday (2-1).
A choice still discussed, before and after.
Read alsoChampions League: what about life without Lewandowski at Bayern Munich?
“
There is always the question about Payet, it's a bit repetitive,
smiled with a hint of annoyance Igor Tudor.
I congratulate those who played today.
[…] There are a lot of matches, everyone will be important, especially when you play every three days.
I spoke to him yesterday (Friday), I explained my plan to him and he accepted it.
This plan is that Payet will start “
in the Champions League
” against Frankfurt.
"
And I'm sure it will be good,
" predicted Tudor.
He's an excellent player.
I see him positive in training.
»
Payet, a starving record in the Champions League
"
He remains very professional, he keeps smiling in training and even in the locker room, he is very happy
", juxtaposed his teammate, Mattéo Guendouzi.
Tudor survived a first storm and imposed itself, despite the shaky support of executives which it did not lose.
Clever but necessary balancing act, because he will need his whole group.
A hellish schedule (11 matches between September 30 and November 13) awaits OM.
So that the European dream does not turn into a nightmare, the Phocaeans would be well advised to take points at home on Tuesday.
Beyond his personal situation, Payet, in sight and inspired during his last outing against Clermont (1-0), has reason to be motivated: in 13 C1 matches in Marseille, his record lists one victory and… twelve defeats.
Not very good for a "
Marseillais for life
".