“
What I appreciate the most in the players is this mentality, this will to win, to be serious, to pay attention to details.
Here is Igor Tudor's statement at a press conference after his team's victory against Troyes (0-2) last Wednesday.
Clean, united and disciplined, the Marseillais offer a good quality of play, rewarded by a third place in the championship.
Better still, in the event of success for the Olympians against Lorient this Saturday (7 p.m.) and missteps from Lens (5 p.m.), OM would take second place.
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Marseille in Olympic form
It's the least we can say.
However, on November 1, the defeat against Tottenham in the Champions League was seen as a real blow.
A fifth consecutive game without a win in all competitions.
The Marseillais are eliminated from the Cup with big ears, and even from the Europa League, after finishing last in group D. If the ambitions of the players and the management were obviously to compete in Europe, this result may have allowed the Phocaeans to enter into a new dynamic.
Because since this famous defeat against Spurs, OM have six victories in as many games, in all competitions, propelling them to the podium in Ligue 1. In addition, from now on, Marseille will also be able to count on the reinforcement of Ruslan Malinovskyi, freshly landed from Atalanta Bergamo.
Ruslan Malinovskyi for his first minutes in the jersey of OM.
JB Autissier / PANORAMIC
Igor Tudor, the man for the job
It's a Marseille of records this season.
The attacking game of the Olympians translates into figures: 36 goals scored after 18 days, which makes them the best attack since 1996, tied with OM de Bielsa in 2014/15.
And obviously, Igor Tudor, the Croatian coach, is no stranger to this performance.
However, taking office was not easy for him.
After a missed pre-season period, the welcome at the Vélodrome was very cold for the man who was to replace the much loved Jorge Sampaoli.
Especially since the Croatian has established a pattern of play with a more than incomprehensible choice for OM supporters: that of putting Dimitri Payet on the bench of substitutes.
Read alsoLigue 1: Mattéo Guendouzi should not leave OM this winter
Football fans know it, the requirement is higher in Marseille.
Thus, Igor Tudor was treated to a huge boo from the Vélodrome stadium after the elimination in the Champions League.
But the public is not blind.
The quality of play and the recent positive results of the club allow the technician to have more sympathy from the fans.
It must be said that OM Tudor version gleaned 39 points after 18 league days, which makes it the best result for a Marseille coach in the 21st century.
Igor Tudor, coach of Olympique de Marseille.
JB Autissier / PANORAMIC
The duel against Lens
Even if PSG appears to be a solid leader, they have “
only
” eight points ahead of OM.
But before looking in this direction, the men of Tudor will have to come up against Lens, currently second in the Ligue 1 standings. The Sang et Or are also having an exceptional season, with a remarkable team spirit, perfectly well oiled by Franck Haise, their trainer.
If nearly 1,000 kilometers separate the two cities, only two points separate the two clubs at the dawn of the 19th day.
While Marseille are in great shape, Lens have conceded two draws in their last three matches in Ligue 1, the last of which this Wednesday against Strasbourg, yet 19th (2-2).
The two teams are also still in contention in the Coupe de France, which is to be taken into consideration for the recovery of players.
The next round will also take place between January 20 and 22, with a big match to be expected between Marseille and Rennes.
Be that as it may, OM must not lose sight of their main objective: to take second place in the standings, synonymous with qualification for the Champions League.
