The Marseillais, who still have a game behind, hoped to stay in contact with the Aiglons, who beat Nantes on Friday (2-1) at the start of the 21st day.

But the team of Jorge Sampaoli, ultra-dominant on Sunday, still has this increasingly crippling defect of not transforming into goals its impressive numbers of ball possession, crosses or even shots.

At home, the case is even more complicated, with only one victory in the last six league matches.

Beaten 2-0 in the first leg in what Sampaoli himself describes as the worst game of the season for OM, the Marseillais took only one point against Losc and, with draws (already 7 this season), are now third, two lengths behind Nice.

Argentinian coach of Marseille, Jorge Sampaoli, during the match of the 21st day of Ligue 1 against Lille, on January 16, 2022 at the Stade Vélodrome Sylvain THOMAS AFP

After the great celebration of the triumphant return of Bordeaux last week, the atmosphere had seriously fallen on Sunday with the return of gauge matches, the two completely empty corners and the 5,000 spectators installed at a not so regulatory distance in the two side stands.

The Virage Sud supporters had indeed left a tifo to thank Ünder for his victorious goal in Gironde, but they were not there and we had brought out the soundtrack of the first confinements, with encouragement and recorded songs.

Despite the grim atmosphere, OM got into their match rather well with a controlled first quarter of an hour but... concluded with a Lille goal.

Lack of speed

Pau Lopez first made a good save on a heavy shot from Burak, but on the next corner, Botman, forgotten by Saliba, gave the advantage to the champions of France with a header (1-0, 15th).

Dutch defender of Lille, Sven Botman, opens the scoring against Marseille, during the 21st day of Ligue 1, January 16, 2022 at the Stade Vélodrome Sylvain THOMAS AFP

The game then took a fairly clear turn: OM dominated, but at a pace too slow to really hinder Losc, who for their part were dangerous on a few counterattacks, often led by Renato Sanches who did damage in the axis.

Pau Lopez thus saved OM with a point-blank header from Yilmaz (22nd) then a powerful shot from Bamba (42nd), while Grbic for his part shone with a free kick well struck by Payet (29th).

Lille's Croatian goalkeeper, Ivo Grbic, makes a save against his compatriot, Marseille defender Duje Caleta-Car, during the 21st day of Ligue 1, January 16, 2022 at the Stade Vélodrome Sylvain THOMAS AFP

Shortly after this Marseille opportunity, the exclusion of Lille midfielder André for two yellow cards taken in two minutes further accentuated OM's domination.

The second period then turned into a caricature, with OM who multiplied the passes around the surface of Lille, installed lower and lower and only leaving exceptionally.

But the lack of speed and initiative in first intention of the men of Jorge Sampaoli offered the Lille a certain comfort, as shown by the goal scored by Bamba but canceled for an offside of nothing at all by Yilmaz (70th ).

In the end, OM still ended up equalizing, thanks to Ünder on a magnificent curling shot, which penalized the inattention of the Lille defense on a corner quickly played by Payet (1-1, 75th).

The Turkish striker from Marseille, Cengiz Under (2nd g), congratulated by his teammates, after having equalized (1-1) against Lille, during the 21st day of Ligue 1, on January 16, 2022 at the Stade Vélodrome Sylvain THOMAS AFP

Lille which, even at ten, still produced very little for a champion of France, still suffered and bent, but took a point which keeps it in the first part of the table (10th).

For OM, he doesn't even have that satisfying taste.

© 2022 AFP