RC Strasbourg – Olympique de Marseille: The party continues after Le Classique victory (1-2)

Only a few days after beating their arch-rivals in the league for the first time since 2020, Olympique de Marseille would cap a perfect week by edging past RC Strasbourg Alsace. Strasbourg would take the lead in the second half, before Liam Rosenior’s men decided to withdraw into themselves, and allow Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Amir Murillo to rescue the day.

Tactical analysis and match report by Nick Hartland.

RC Strasbourg Alsace have very quickly gone from a yo-yo club to one of the elites of French football following the arrival of new owners in 2023. BlueCo, who also own Chelsea FC, has elevated the ceiling of the club and given them the funds to outspend the rest of the league this summer. However, it is a situation that has fractured a fanbase, who have concerns over the future of their club and the implications of selling their soul at the altar of multi-club ownership. 

Olympique de Marseille entered this clash buoyed by a first league victory over their arch-rivals, Paris Saint-Germain, in five years and their first at home in the league in 14 years. The turmoil that defined August looks to have finally settled, with Roberto De Zerbi suggesting that there has been a reset with new players coming in and Adrien Rabiot and Jonathan . . .