By taking the upper hand on Timothée Kolodziejczak twice, Marcelo secured OL's easy victory in the derby on Sunday.

Philippe DESMAZES -

AFP

  • Marcelo was decisive on Sunday in Saint-Etienne, scoring a double head (0-5).

  • This success against goal, which had eluded him for nearly three years with OL, highlights the return to the foreground of the Brazilian defender, after a difficult season and tensions with the Bad Gones.

  • At 33, Marcelo wants to extend his contract (which ends next June) in Lyon.

At the Geoffroy-Guichard stadium,

Between the movements, the timing, the relaxation and the power of his two decisive head shots, Sunday in the Cauldron (0-5), we thought we saw Wendie Renard at work.

Fatal weapon of the Lyonnaises on set pieces for ten years, the captain of OL seems to always be able to gain the upper hand over her direct opponents in this exercise.

In the men, Marcelo martyred Timothée Kolodziejczak in the same way in the derby, jumping much higher than him, and especially arriving every time launched, after a race started outside the surface.

At the helm, we systematically found Léo Dubois for these two distant and off-center free kicks that contributed to air conditioning in copy-paste mode the (slight) Stéphane revolt (0-2, 36th; 0-3, 59th).

A success that contrasts with his almost three years without scoring a single goal with OL, since a double in L1 in Metz in April 2018.

Andersen, Diomandé and Benlamri did not dislodge him from the typical team

“I keep in mind the three situations that Marcelo had without framing one against Metz (0-1) last week, specifies Rudi Garcia.

Tonight, he was exceptional with his overhead shots twice.

These two angry blows of the helmet are symbolic of the good period of the Brazilian defender.

Taken in flu at the end of 2019 by part of the Bad Gones, the main group of OL supporters, after a heated exchange in Lisbon, Marcelo was then destined to an almost inevitable departure during the previous winter transfer window.

We admit, we would have thought that the point of no return was more than reached during the chaotic qualification in the Champions League, on December 10, 2019 against RB Leipzig (2-2), with the entry on the lawn of a supporter carrying a banner "Marcelo clears" with a donkey's head on it.

Marcelo was then entitled to an insulting chant from the north turn, and his response was none other than fingers of honor in the direction of the supporters.

But an explanation after a match in Bordeaux on January 11 will reverse the trend.

Joachim Andersen, then now Sinaly Diomandé and Djamel Benlamri failed to push the solid 1.91 m tall fellow on the bench, who is coming to the end of his contract next June.

"I hope we will find a solution quickly", says Marcelo

“He is in discussions with the club, said Rudi Garcia on Sunday evening.

It is a very important part of our team.

He is in the prime of life [at 33].

In central defense, we can also play for a very long time, Vitorino Hilton will not contradict me.

Me, who went to Italy, it's quite common to have players who play until 36, 37 and 38, and even more in central defense.

I think Marcelo still has good years ahead of him, provided they are at Olympique Lyonnais.

"

In any case, like his very solid Final 8 of the Champions League last summer, as the boss of a five-a-side defense, he presents real references that may encourage Jean-Michel Aulas and Juninho to consider the near future. with him.

"I hope that a solution will be found quickly," announced the person concerned to the press at the beginning of the year.

I've been here for four years, I know the club and the city very well.

I don't forget that it was OL who opened the door for me to play in France.

I want to stay.

“Between his return to the fore for a year and his angry double in the derby, there is no doubt that the supporters would not oppose / more to this contract extension.

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