In this illegible group D where everyone, in turn, saw themselves as leaders, imagined themselves qualified before diving back, but never enough to stop believing in it, everything will therefore be decided in a week.

Before attacking the 6th and last day, OM are last in their group.

But a victory against Tottenham, not particularly dashing at the moment, would send him to the round of 16.

With a draw, the Marseillais would keep a chance of going to the Europa League, if Frankfurt beats Sporting.

But before talking about success and a European spring, OM will have to get back on track.

Because the team of Igor Tudor has completely lost its compass and remains on four defeats in the last five matches.

In the magnificent atmosphere of Frankfurt, welcome after the very serious incidents of the first leg, it was therefore through its defense that Marseille sank, when we had only been talking about its offensive sterility for weeks.

Saturday again against Lens (1-0 defeat), the Marseillais had been good but ineffective, and Tudor had assured that by reproducing this kind of performance, OM would win “almost all” of their matches.

No doubt that's true, but playing the way she did for the first half hour in Frankfurt, her side also risk losing a few.

Frankfurt striker Randal Kolo Muani, scorer against Marseille, on October 26, 2022 in Frankfurt Daniel ROLAND AFP

Because it is an astonishing mixture of feverishness and fragility that Marseille exhibited on Wednesday in Germany, where its pressing did not work and left the defense very exposed, the environment not filtering anything.

From the 3rd minute, Harit and Clauss were thus eliminated on the right and Frankfurt pierced full axis, where Gigot was taken by Lenz's feint and could not stop Kamada, scorer (1-0).

Mandatory exploit

Götze with a header (15th) then Lenz after an incredible blunder by Balerdi (19th) could then have knocked out OM, who were then in great pain against the attacking players of Frankfurt, systematically free between the lines.

But on his first quality sequence, Marseille came back up, Guendouzi taking over with a beautiful volley an equally remarkable cross from Mbemba (1-1, 22nd).

But OM plunged too quickly, trapped by a new filtering fault in the middle which resulted in a small two-man game between Götze and Kolo Muani, who put Frankfurt in front (2-1, 27th).

Marseille was however still dangerous, with a rescue in extremis from Smolcic in front of Sanchez (30th) or a good save from Trapp on a volley from Harit (45th).

This was also the case after the break, when OM pushed to snatch a draw which would not have fundamentally changed their position in Pool D but would undoubtedly have restored some of their lost confidence.

While the technical level of the match was sometimes very uncertain, Sanchez on a nice off-center free kick released by Trapp (59th), then Tavares, who struck alongside in a good position (77th), were thus the most dangerous.

But they could not equalize, nor could the incoming Under or Suarez, who were more than disappointing.

"It can be very beautiful," Rongier had dreamed on Tuesday.

Above all, it will be very complicated, but OM can dream of a feat against Tottenham.

In the meantime, he will stay a few days in Germany before facing Strasbourg on Saturday in L1.

Where it is already the emergency.

© 2022 AFP