• The Ligue 1 clash between OM and PSG will be played this Sunday in a packed Velodrome stadium.

  • No match has been played in front of less than 50,000 spectators (gauge set by the club against Bordeaux) since the start of the season.

  • Since the return of supporters after the Covid-19 pandemic, each match has been played in front of "an atmosphere of great evenings".

“It's fire, a great night atmosphere in every game. There have been no small games since the start of the season ”. Wahid supporter of Olympique de Marseille and subscriber for twenty years in the corners of the Vélodrome, has been enjoying himself since the start of the season, and the long-awaited return of supporters to the stadiums. “The first game I did again was in a friendly against Villarreal. The turns were not full, despite that they were only chills, with an atmosphere of sick. My first reaction was to realize how huge this stadium is. There were lots of mixed emotions, it was fabulous, ”he recounts.

Since then, the corners have been full in every game, with incredible energy.

Sara, who lives in Paris for work, had only been waiting for one thing since the start of the season: to return to the Vélodrome.

It's been done since last Sunday and the match against Lorient.

“It was amazing.

It was even stronger and more armored than before the Covid.

My last match was to be against Toulouse, and that had nothing to do with it.

There are always moments of hollow in the encouragement, not there.

The two turns were perfectly synchronized on the "Aux Armes", whereas usually there are always small misses, "she says.

"The impression that the supporters are even happier to be there"

Wahid, who lives just 200 meters from the Vélodrome stadium, has also perceived this madness since the supporters returned to the stadium after the Covid-19 pandemic. “It's special, we feel that we have been deprived of our happiness for a long time. So people are excited. I see them arriving much earlier in front of the stadium, to land at the cafe, at the bar. You feel a special atmosphere, ”says the supporter.

A feeling shared even on the pitch, as Dimitri Payet explained after the match against Lorient: “Yes, we have the impression that the supporters are even happier to be there.

We realize this year that we spent without them, and the two meet again.

The results and the game we produce give hope to the supporters, there are goals.

This is what the public expects from us, to give the best of ourselves.

And the public identifies well with their team this year.

"

Smoke in Ganay

Finally, the Marseillais public finds a philosophy of play specific to its motto: Droit au But.

Jorge Sampaoli offers an unbridled game, unlike André Villas Boas, more pragmatic, shall we say.

“There were tired of playing draws, scoring from an accident and winning a disgusting 1-0.

The philosophy of play this year is pleasant, there are shortcomings of course, but it feels good to say that we are playing the attack, I really enjoy it, ”savored Sara.

Ganay's smoky brother, good gav and good stadium ban mon reuf we are together #OMFCL

- Christmas Le Graët (@ Elperco135) October 17, 2021

"For me there is a bit of everything, after covid, the philosophy of the game and the good results," said Wahid.

If you had a coach with a system that looks like nothing, and no results, it would have had the opposite effect.

It would have been hot for our players and the staff, they would have been expensive.

Despite the little slump lately, you can feel the supporters behind the coach and the players.

We are lucky to have Sampaoli and players who are rising from their ashes like Payet.

It transcends a stadium ”.

To the point of seeing smoke bombs in the side stand, as in Ganay, still against Lorient, and supporters resume certain chants from the bends.

Tributes

The perfect relationship between Pablo Longoria and his supporters is no stranger to this atmosphere either.

As with these banners of support for players and management after the incidents in Nice, unheard of under the presidency of Eyraud.

“The difference with the old management is just that he fully understands the OM system and its supporters.

He understands how they work and so far it's flawless, ”said Wahid.

As during the various tributes paid in recent weeks, after the disappearances of the famous René Malleville, the young Clément and the “Boss”, Bernard Tapie.

Which each time have offered moments of emotions, as during the tifos for Tapie.

“It was really moving.

The tifos were incredible, it's crazy what they manage to do, the ideas, the set-up, it was incredible, ”says Sara.

Beautiful… you won't see it twice here pic.twitter.com/E1Vg7LtWK2

- Dima Wahid (@ wahid8413) September 26, 2021

Or as during the chants between Lensois and Marseille supporters for Clément.

“It was a lot of sadness, everything fell to us suddenly.

It was very difficult for all of us.

OM brings together all around what makes up the club, not just the supporters, all around too and that strengthens the links.

The disappearance of Clément, a young man who supports his team with his friends to have a good time, and who dies like that, it pained me a lot.

The communion between supporters, and with the opposing supporters of Lens, it was something very strong ”, continues Wahid.

"You are caught up in the atmosphere"

So many highlights that conquered the young recruit, Cengiz Under. Statements on the UEFA website before playing against Lazio on Thursday, just to put the fans a little more in the pocket. But let's not forget that the Turk has known the atmosphere of Galatasaray and Fenerbahce: “Everyone knows that this club has incredible supporters. And now I understand what it is. You can see the great relationship between the club and the supporters on and off the pitch. This is one of the things that touched me the most, I play in front of the best fans in Europe. It makes me proud. They have enormous influence. As soon as you enter the field, you are struck by the atmosphere. We have the impression that they are playing by your side, ”he braided like crowns.

On Sunday, against PSG, they will be more than 67,000 to push their team for the first game of the season sold out.

And seats have never been so expensive.

The Stade Vélodrome has also been at the top of the attendance rankings since the start of the season, with no less than 50,000 supporters in each match, as for the reception of Bordeaux (50,000 spectators), with a gauge set by the club.

Some 38,500 supporters have subscribed this season, more than in 2018/2019, the season which followed the Europa League epic.

Sport

OM-PSG: Parisian supporters banned from traveling to Marseille on Sunday

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