Olympique de Marseille – Olympique Lyonnais: Marseille leave it late in blockbuster Olympico (3-2)

There was more at stake than usual in the latest Choc des Olympiques. Olympique de Marseille and Olympique Lyonnais are in direct competition for third and the last remaining automatic qualification spot for the UEFA Champions League. Marseille started poorly, but grew into a helter-skelter game, winning all three points and reducing Lyon’s lead by two points. 

Tactical analysis and match report by Nick Hartland.

Habib Beye’s debut as the new Olympique de Marseille head coach could not have gone worse as he watched his side fall to a 2-0 defeat to Stade Brestois. There were some extenuating circumstances with the coach only having a day in the hotseat, and was without any of his backroom staff until late on Wednesday evening. However, excuses (regardless of merit) are never well-received in La Provence, where victory at any cost is the mantra. 

Paulo Fonseca’s Olympique Lyonnais were on a 13-game winning streak until their run was upended by a defeat to RC Strasbourg Alsace last weekend. How they would respond to their first defeat since the 7th of December was the big question. Lyon have been peerless in the past few months, and even with the run ending, on form, they were favourites. However, Derby des Olympiques are special occasions, where form and structure are ignored for 90 minutes. 

Beye went with a 4-3-3 shape. Gerónimo Rulli was in goal behind a back four of Emerson Palmieri, Nayef Aguerd, Leonardo Balerdi, and Timothy Weah. In midfield, Pierre-Emile Højbjerg and Geoffrey Kondogbia were joined by Quinten Timber as a more advanced option. Up front, Hamed . . .