Too naive on a quick free kick concluded by Sead Kolasinac (57th), the Rennais remain 5th, but see the podium move away frankly and their fight for European places become more complicated.

Stunned by the 3-0 conceded at the Vélodrome a week ago against PSG in the league and especially by the elimination on penalties on Wednesday against Annecy (Ligue 2) in the quarter-finals of a Coupe de France which seemed to be their stretch out their arms, the Marseillais can first be satisfied with having been able to raise their heads.

But they also carried out an excellent operation by taking advantage of the slowdown in Monaco and Lens to consolidate their second place with a four-point lead, while sending a potential other candidate for the podium back to his dear studies.

Despite a slight rebound in the league in recent weeks, the Rennais who had the opportunity to come back to within two points of OM remain stuck in 5th place, with a very small lead over Lille (6th).

A rebound next week in Auxerre is mandatory before moving to Paris in two weeks.

For the Marseillais, who are chaining a seventh victory in a row away from home in L1 and reassuring themselves in defense, the rest promises to be more within their reach with the reception of Strasbourg and a trip to Reims.

Marseille striker Cengiz Under (g) overflows Rennes defender Arthur Theate, March 5, 2023 in Rennes © LOIC VENANCE / AFP

"No time to cry", warned Igor Tudor: the Marseillais started very strong, with intense pressing, a strike from Jordan Veretout from the first minute, a missed strike from Cenginz Under while Steve Mandanda was beaten (9th) and an incursion by Jonathan Clauss well repelled by the Rennes goalkeeper (12th).

General approach

But the intensity was on both sides, and the Rennais also quickly got chances, with a festival from Djed Spence on the right (10th) and above all a superb strike from Amine Gouiri pushed back by the crossbar (15th).

From then on, the match turned into a general approach, with a constant coming and going between the two surfaces, not without a certain haste on both sides.

In this little game, the Rennais proved to be the most dangerous, Arnaud Kalimuendo forcing Pau Lopez to a reflex stop (29th), while Karl Toko Ekambi, served at the entrance to the surface, missed his last gesture (31st) .

In this big battle, the Rouge et Noir quickly lost Jérémy Doku, betrayed by his knee and left in the 25th minute, and Matteo Guendouzi his composure, replaced by Ruslan Malinovskyi at the break.

The Rennais Arthur Theate (c) and Amine Gouiri (d) after a missed opportunity against OM, March 5, 2023 in Rennes © LOIC VENANCE / AFP

And if Mandanda had to dive into the feet of Alexis Sanchez (51st), the Marseillais found the fault with a little cunning: quickly playing a free kick while the defense was still settling in, Jordan Veretout found Under, who crossed for Sead Kolasinac popped up at the far post (0-1, 57th).

Very angry, the Rennais tried the same shot a dozen minutes later, but the Marseille defense was not so naive... And in the process, Toko Ekambi (76th) then Arthur Théate (77th) did not managed to frame their head, and despite intense pressing in the last minutes, in front of a full and boiling stadium, nothing more happened.

© 2023 AFP