Marseilles (AFP)

Marseille at the heart of yet another revolution - new president and coach - receives its great rival and the exact opposite, Lyon, where the boss has remained the same for 33 years, in the shock of the 27th day of Ligue 1, Sunday (9:00 p.m.).

The gap is abysmal before this "Olimpico".

It is not only the 17 points between OL and OM (which has one game less), but the stability on and off the field, the quality of the squad and the level of play practiced.

Marseille has just changed president.

Jacques-Henri Eyraud was disembarked on Friday evening, replaced by Pablo Longoria, the sports director he had gone to look for in Valencia.

The most turbulent of French clubs has also changed coaches.

The arrival of Jorge Sampaoli was formalized at the same time as the fall of the president.

But the Argentine, who has to travel from Brazil (he coached Atlético Mineiro), should not be able to sit on the bench on Sunday.

Interim Nasser Larguet therefore continues his mission for one more match.

- Regular earthquakes -

The boss of the training center did not work miracles, three draws in Ligue 1, a defeat not infamous against PSG (2-0), a qualification for the Coupe de France at a L2 club, Auxerre (2-0 ), and only one convincing exit, against Nice (3-2).

To hope to beat Lyon, the Moroccan finds the striker arrived this winter, Arkadiusz Milik, and Florian Thauvin, restored.

But he lacks his two basic full-backs, Hiroki Sakai, suspended, and Jordan Amavi, still injured.

OL are advancing much faster.

Jean-Michel Aulas' team, president since 1987, have won five of their last seven matches in L1.

It is therefore not relentless, it has fallen twice at home against Metz (1-0) and Montpellier (2-1), but succeeds both outside and against the "big ones".

In Marseille, it is the earthquakes that are regular ... "What counts are the strengths of OL by those of OM", sweeps Rudi Garcia, former of the house.

The Lyon coach was speaking before Eyraud was sidelined.

Garcia is more concerned with the lack of permeability of his team.

"We have to keep scoring but we have to regain the defensive involvement, he asks. We took two goals in Brest (3-2) and I didn't like it too much. We have to do it. as much when we lead as 0-0. Because we tend to lose rigor when we are ahead of the score ".

- OL stronger -

The finalist coach of the Europa League 2018 with OM (3-0 for Atlético Madrid) may recover his defense chief, Marcelo, back from injury but not necessarily starting immediately.

OL seem in any case stronger, more balanced, in addition to being more stable.

On the way out, the forces involved were still more or less equal.

OM saved a draw (1-1) by playing 70 minutes to ten, after the exclusion of Dimitri Payet, who opened the scoring.

Payet remains the hero of the only “Olimpico” played last season, with the comeback skipped due to the pandemic.

His double had torpedoed the OL (2-1) of his former coach Garcia, whom he had previously boarded in the media.

It is one of the last great memories of Marseille supporters.

Since a defeat in Rennes (2-1) on December 16, everything is in tatters ...

From now on, OL, which will know the results of its three rivals (Lille, PSG and Monaco) at kick-off, is aiming very high, dreaming at best of the title and at least of the podium, when the Phocéens only aspire to 'to a little calm, finally.

OM must be content with the race for 5th place in Europe.

Jorge Sampaoli, who could have attacked Marseille from the north face, will wait for the next match, just as difficult: in Lille.

© 2021 AFP