The Velodrome was not mistaken.
If they saw their favorite players swept away by the Parisian rival on Sunday (0-3), the heaviest defeat against PSG since the 4-0 in 2019 and the biggest in Marseille since the 5-1 in 2017, the supporters Olympians pushed and greeted their warriors, without anger, without whistling.
And for good reason, there was not much to do for the Marseillais.
Especially against this PSG, led by a Kylian Mbappé "
who comes from another planet
", according to Igor Tudor, and especially with these ideas, those which allowed OM to achieve the season that we know, to bring down Paris in the Coupe de France (2-1) on February 8, those which precipitated its fall on Sunday.
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Despite the return of Bondy's crack and the absences of Samuel Gigot and Chancel Mbemba, the Croatian coach was indeed not going to change his tune, not the kind of house.
Intensity on all floors, high pressing and maximum risk-taking behind.
"
We have remained faithful to our principles
", boasts Mattéo Guendouzi, noting that Olympique de Marseille has "
lack of efficiency offensively and defensively
".
“
We gave everything, we looked for them high and they were effective in their situations
“, he adds.
Tudor had nevertheless tried to innovate a little by putting Eric Bailly in Bondy's crack zone and passing Nuno Tavares to the right, just to take advantage of his speed, relegating Jonathan Clauss to the bench.
Alas, the Cameroonian took the broth against the French arrow and the Portuguese was able to measure the gap which separates him from his compatriot Nuno Mendes.
“
You have to be realistic: they deserved their victory, they were better than us
”, summarizes Guendouzi, believing that OM “
came on a great team
”.
Obviously, the situation could have been different if Marseille had converted their chances to 0-0.
With si...
I had not seen the Parisians run so much for a long time.
Igor Tudor
The gap was too big in all areas to allow Marseille players and fans to have any regrets, despite their 19 strikes and big saves from Paris goalkeeper Gigio Donnarumma.
"
Mbappé had too much space to play and the Parisians showed great motivation, I hadn't seen them running so much for a long time
", squeaks Tudor, promising that if they "
did not help
", the absences of Mbemba and Gigot did not fundamentally change the situation.
"
Even with them, I don't think it would have changed much
," admits the former Juventus defender.
The Vélodrome never let go of its players on Sunday, despite the correction against Paris.
CHRISTOPHE SIMON / AFP
Read alsoThe notes of OM-PSG: too easy for Mbappé, Bailly exceeded
"
It's hard when such good players are like that... We did our best... If we compare the two matches, the one tonight (Sunday) and in the Coupe de France, it's PSG that makes the difference , his attitude, his number 7. We played the same way.
But when all these players are playing so well… You may have the impression that we were slower, less well, but it was PSG that made the difference,”
says Tudor, who has certainly seen his dreams of title fly away Sunday night.
If successful, OM would have returned to two points behind the Parisian leader in the L1 standings.
Now, Paris has a comfortable eight-point mattress, knowing that Lens and Monaco also left feathers last weekend.
"
It will be more difficult, you have to be realistic... But there are still a lot of matches left, a lot of things can happen
, ”said Guendouzi.
Looking for a first trophy since 2012
Suicidal against this PSG of Mbappé, the philosophy advocated by coach Tudor obviously does not only have faults.
It has its limits when the adversary has the technique and the speed to shatter the device.
But OM won't run into this kind of team every weekend… “
We've stayed true to what we've been doing since the start of the season.
We are not going to change our philosophy, no matter who we play against, the players we face
, insists the former Parisian Guendouzi
.
It's a defeat but we are not defeated, there are still matches and goals to achieve.
“And in particular this Coupe de France, which OM have not raised since… 1989. In addition to the modest Champions Trophy in 2012, the Marseille club has not won anything since the Coupe de la Ligue, in 2012. It dates…
We are not going to throw everything in the trash.
Matteo Guendouzi
There is no doubt that the Marseille people would sign with both hands for a second place in L1 and a success in the Coupe de France.
With the Tudor method, the heart put by the players since the beginning of the season, their talent too, it is possible, at your fingertips.
Sunday's defeat does not call any of this into question.
“
We will continue like this until the end of the season.
Tonight is not a victory, but we are not going to throw everything in the trash because there are still interesting things
, insists Guendouzi
.
We will continue to work.
We are very disappointed because it is a Classic, we were keen to win it, especially since there was still a wonderful atmosphere, as always.
There is disappointment but we don't have time to keep our heads down.
We have important matches coming up, in the Coupe de France on Wednesday against Annecy (L2), but also in Rennes in Ligue 1. We are confident for the end of the season.
We will continue to work as we have been doing since the beginning, hoping to achieve good results again because we are still on a very good series.
“Particularly away, with six wins in a row.
