This semi-final, the 8th in OM's European history, will be played against Feyenoord Rotterdam, who defeated Slavia Prague, with a first leg on April 28 in the Netherlands and the return on May 5 at the Vélodrome.

After the serious incidents of the first leg in Marseille, hell was promised to OM at Toumba, this stadium from another age, all concrete and rusty metal, full to the brim on Thursday, and it was probably a bit excessive.

But with the smoke bombs, the deafening whistles, the incessant chants of "Gate 4", the sector of the most fervent Ultras, the excessive watering of the lawn and the lasers, the game still looked like a trap at the end. 'Ancient.

And for a quarter of an hour, OM almost fell into the trap.

As expected, the Greeks were carried by the fury and the hellish noise of a stadium that is like a 360° kop and they were dangerous.

To get Marseille out of business, it took a lot of character and above all the tranquility of the very placid Mandanda, who chained a third consecutive match on Thursday and once again became a real competitor to Pau Lopez at the approach of Sunday's "Classic" against Paris SG.

The OM captain and goalkeeper was decisive one after the other in front of Vieirinha (10th) then, on the next corner, against Crespo, very close to scoring with a header (10th).

Eight straight wins

Just before the break, when Marseille had already opened the scoring, he again intervened with efficiency and authority and after the first 45 minutes, Marseille was logically very well placed for qualification.

Because after their shaky first 15 minutes, the players of Jorge Sampaoli, suspended on Thursday, resumed the thread of their match and their obvious superiority.

Marseille coach Jorge Sampaoli at the Vélodrome stadium, March 10, 2022 Nicolas TUCAT AFP / Archives

Payet was first dangerous with a nice strike (13th), then an almost counterattack from Ingasson showed that PAOK did not in fact control much.

Then on a ball stupidly lost by Crespo, Guendouzi played the shot perfectly after a relay from Bakambu to serve Payet in the position of center forward and author on the stroke of his 11th European goal, third best total of the club behind Papin and Niang (1-0, 34th).

The essential was done and Marseille then mastered, even if the long catalog of absences (Gerson, Kamara, Dieng, Milik, Balerdi, De la Fuente, Alvaro...) forced Sampaoli to push his starting men to the end or almost, with only two changes, the entry of Under in place of Bakambu and that very late of Kolasinac for Payet.

It therefore took a good save from Mandanda in front of Zivkovic (70th) and a bit of luck when Colak and Douglas Augusto struck from close range to leave OM in the lead.

But in the end, Marseille continues its very good series, now increased to eight consecutive victories.

The legs are heavy, certainly, but the confidence is at its zenith before going to face Paris SG on Sunday at the Parc des Princes.

© 2022 AFP