With this success, OM returned to Nice in 3rd place, with one less match to play, the one stopped after only five minutes eight days ago in Lyon when Payet was hit in the face by a bottle of water from the stands.

The victory also allows to restart the machine after the poor 0-0 conceded against Metz in the last match at the Vélodrome, but the Marseille game remains sad and Jorge Sampaoli has work to do.

The enthusiasm of the summer has also given way in recent weeks to the first doubts, because OM have won too little - two of their last 12 matches just before Sunday's meeting - and the defeat of Thursday in Istanbul on the lawn of Galatasaray sent him from the Europa League to the even more modest Europa League Conference.

Faced with Troyes, promoted as concerned as the Messins by the fight for maintenance, OM had to impose their game, their superiority and the ideas of their coach.

At the end of the first period, however, the Marseillais had not framed the slightest strike.

While the closed session imposed by the disciplinary committee brought back to the Vélodrome the sinister atmosphere of the Covid season which had been missed by no one, the players of Sampaoli did not find the levers to activate to find the going at the start of the season.

The Marseillais congratulate themselves on the goal scored by Pol Lirola (2nd on the right) against Troyes at the Vélodrome, November 28, 2021 Nicolas TUCAT AFP

Back a week after being hit in the face by a bottle of water, Payet still tried to animate the Marseille attack, but Milik is definitely going through a bad patch, like Lirola, installed in the right offensive of a system mixed, between 4-4-2 and 4-3-3.

Payet everywhere

Opposite, Rami, back at the Vélodrome, has often followed the Marseille N.10 in almost individual marking and not much has happened.

Payet hit a nice free kick (5th), De la Fuente shot aside (24th) and that's about it.

The players of the former Marseillais Laurent Battles for their part tried a few shots, as on this good strike from Biancone (30th), at a time when OM did not know what to do with their possession of the ball, regularly entrusting the role from playmaker to ... Pau Lopez.

In the frozen desert of the Vélodrome, the second period was not better at first, with an avalanche of bad choices, messed up technical gestures and sometimes gross mistakes.

At the hour of play all the same, Marseille found a little light and everything came from Payet, without whom OM are really not the same.

With a classy gesture, the Reunionese first sent Milik one-on-one against Gallon.

Marseille captain Dimitri Payet wins his duel with Adil Rami from ES Troyes at the Vélodrome, November 28, 2021 Nicolas TUCAT AFP

But, really lacking in confidence, the Pole did not manage to win this duel yet in his strings (61st).

Ten minutes later, the same duo still threatened Gallon with a cross from Payet for the stung head of Milik (71st).

Finally, in the 74th minute, the N.10's passing quality was put to good use by one of his teammates: thrown full axis by the Reunionese and covered by Biancone, Lirola deceived the Trojan goalkeeper.

One goal and three points, Marseille will be satisfied with it before going to Nantes on Wednesday and receiving Brest on Saturday.

The supporters will be back and this is the first good news after the sadness of the closed session on Sunday.

© 2021 AFP