Ligue 1 is back for the final sprint and Marseille hosts Montpellier at the start of the 29th day this Friday evening at 9:00 p.m.
OM must reconcile with their supporters, as their performances at home have been so worrying lately.
However, outside the Phocaeans have no difficulty in garnering as many points as possible, during a season that is, to say the least, convincing overall, in terms of play, intentions and accounting.
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Calendar and results Ligue 1
League 1 standings
Sixth Ligue 1 team at home
If OM are in 2nd place in the Ligue 1 standings this season, it was not at the Vélodrome that the team won the majority of their 59 points.
For good reason, the Marseillais are only the 6th team in the standings at home with only 24 points taken out of 42 possible.
In other words, the same record with one more goal on the clock than Lorient at Moustoir.
A surprising or even rather worrying finding, especially when you know the enthusiasm of OM supporters.
Lorient has a stadium that can accommodate almost 19,000 people, while Igor Tudor's men are used to playing in front of more than 62,000 spectators on average per match this season, the highest attendance in France.
OM watch Reims, Lille, Rennes, Paris and Lens (best team at home) do better at home.
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The Phocaeans do not always know how to take advantage of this fervor to take points.
Curiously, this is not something new.
Last season, under the orders of Jorge Sampaoli, OM had even done worse by finishing 9th at home with only 32 points taken at the Vélodrome over the whole of the 2021/2022 financial year.
And yet, they had finished 2nd with a qualification in the Champions League at stake.
The question of pressure could arise.
Playing in front of more than 60,000 supporters can be intimidating, but the players have experience and above all are used to this kind of context.
Especially since they have shown their ability to transcend themselves in the face of such an audience in the Coupe de France against PSG (2-1).
In contrast to the excitement displayed against Strasbourg in the last Ligue 1 home game, when they conceded a 2-2 draw after leading 2-0 until the 88th minute.
The conclusion is perhaps only very simple, Marseille is a team whose behavior it is very difficult if not almost impossible to explain.
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The grass is often greener elsewhere
One thing is certain, OM love to travel.
Not to take a vacation, but points.
With 35 away units out of a possible 42, they are the best team in Ligue 1 off their bases.
Marseille is even the second best away team in the five major European championships ahead of Arsenal (leader in England) or Barça (leader in Spain).
Only Naples (leader in Italy) does better.
Already last year, OM performed well away from home, finishing with 39 points from 19 trips.
Tudor could thus do better than Sampaoli this year if they win two more away matches.
Good news: it is outside that the Marseillais will be tested at the end of the season with three main trips, to Lyon (32nd day), to Lens (34th) and to Lille (36th).
