It was a breeze heralding the great cold, back in France, which scourged the Vélodrome stadium on Sunday.
Author of the 3rd Nice goal with a clear strike, in the 85th minute, Billal Brahimi rubbed his arms, as if the mercury had suddenly dropped.
OM, who came back to 2-1 in the 60th minute, did not rekindle the flame this time.
A defeat (1-3) which may have already sounded the death knell for his dream of a title in the French championship.
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Calendar and results Ligue 1
League 1 standings
A dream, because for a decade, Paris Saint-Germain has been tacitly considered untouchable.
A victory against Nice, modest 9th in Ligue 1 before this weekend, would have brought Marseille to 5 units behind the Parisian leader.
Instead, Igor Tudor advocated fatalism after the encounter.
“
I can't blame my players for anything,
noted the Croatian coach.
I can't tell them they haven't raced or created things.
They wanted to do well.
»
PSG emerges from its dark period ... with one more point ahead
For Tudor, the culprit was success.
Or rather his absence on the Marseille side.
“
We did not concede a number of chances that deserved to take three goals.
And in the offensive phases, we created a lot more than just to score a goal
, ”regrets Tudor.
A new setback for OM, already close to correctional in this same Vélodrome stadium a week earlier, against Monaco (1-1), after a series of 6 victories in L1.
These lost points, the supporters are not unaware of it: they could have changed everything in a hypothetical race for the title, where PSG is about to leave alone.
The title, should we (still) believe in it for OM?
"
I don't believe it
," Thierry Henry replied laconically at the microphone of
Amazon Prime Video
, even before the defeat against Nice.
“
The 1st half against Monaco, if there was 3-0…
”, recalled the former striker of the Blues, underlining the still perceptible flaws at OM, too big to catch up with PSG.
“
We saw Lens beat Paris and not continue.
We saw Rennes beat Paris and not continue
, ”listed Henry.
Unwittingly, the 1998 world champion put his finger on the big slump in Paris: a draw and two defeats in 4 L1 matches to start 2023. The situation is terrible for his pursuers.
After 16 days, PSG were 7 points ahead of their runners-up.
After 22 days and this dismal period, he is 8 points ahead.
OM can afford Paris in the Coupe de France
It was also the last two outings for Christophe Galtier's men, victories in Montpellier (1-3) and against Toulouse (2-1), which raised the following question: have OM, Lens and the others left pass their chance?
"
They have Nice tonight, it's up to them to show that they can get this title
", invited Thierry Henry before the return to earth of the Olympians.
Of course, the season is still long.
Marseille will receive Paris on February 26.
Paris which is expected in Monaco, the team in form of the moment, next Saturday.
Whether they are Parisians or Marseilles, players and supporters do not have time to think about the title: PSG will travel to the Vélodrome this Wednesday, in the round of 16 of the Coupe de France (9:10 p.m.).
If OM can't take the title, maybe they can take a cup.
SEE ALSO –
The superb goal of Ben Seghir, 17, with Monaco against Auxerre on February 1 (3-2)
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