Thursday against Feyenoord Rotterdam in the Europa League Conference, Payet injured himself, half an hour into the game, sending a long pass forward.

Supported by OM doctor Jean-Baptiste Grisoli, he left the field limping heavily, face closed and looking sad.

Without him, without his technical accuracy, his activity around the opposing area and his precision on set pieces, OM were then completely harmless and did not manage to qualify for the final of their dreams (3 -2, 0-0).

Then on Saturday, OM and the player finally communicated and confirmed what was expected and feared in view of the images of his exit from the field: his season is over.

"Treatment has already started but full recovery will only happen after the end of the championship," OM wrote in a statement.

"The disappointment is great, the pain is strong, but I am well surrounded and all your messages of support give me the strength to look ahead, and so next season starts tomorrow for me", for his part wrote the player on his Instagram account.

Harit uncertain

Amine Harit, from Marseille, on the ground after a foul by Lutsharel Geertruida, defender of Feyenoord, in the Europe Conference League on May 5, 2022 at the Stade Vélodrome NICOLAS TUCAT AFP / Archives

"The hardest thing today for me is not being able to help my teammates in this final stretch. I will obviously be behind them and all the staff for the last three matches which we know are important to achieve the objective set. ", he added.

Now overtaken by Monaco and 3rd in the standings, OM absolutely must relaunch on Sunday in Lorient, where the Provencal club will want to win to keep the best chance of direct qualification for the Champions League.

But without Payet, we will have to find the right formula.

"Without him, we are not the same, recognized William Saliba on Friday. We can win matches without him, but he is clearly the best player in the team. He is our playmaker, our technical leader."

Additional problem for OM, coach Jorge Sampaoli announced on Friday that Amine Harit, natural replacement for Payet, was "hit in the right foot" and therefore uncertain for the match in Lorient.

The Argentinian will therefore have to find solutions, which probably go through the refocusing of Gerson, often decisive in recent weeks and who seemed a little far from the areas of truth on Thursday, positioned on the left wing.

Modified structure

Main investment of the summer transfer window, the Brazilian has found the right fuel after a difficult start and seems to have the talent and the personality to take the team on his shoulders.

The Brazilian from Marseille Gerson during the Europa League Conference match against Feyenoord on May 5, 2022 at the Stade Vélodrome Thomas COEX AFP / Archives

All dreadful against Feyenoord, the attackers Milik, Dieng and Bakambu will have to find a minimum of address and sharpness, like the winger Under, who is going through a difficult pass.

The mysterious Luis Henrique could also be revived but Sampaoli did not hide that the absence of Payet posed a huge problem for him.

"Replacing Dimitri is almost impossible. No other player in the squad has his characteristics, this ability to manage tempo and spaces, through the accuracy of his passes," he explained.

"We saw the best OM when there was the best Payet. He is our technical leader, the one who guided the others towards our idea of ​​play. We have to find other solutions, other profiles, other systems. Because without it, the whole structure of the game is changed," added the Argentinian technician.

His observation is not very reassuring, especially since OM have not won a match this season in the combined absence of Payet and Harit.

With only two weeks and three matches left to play, Sampaoli can't be wrong.

© 2022 AFP