• Olympique de Marseille won on the lawn of RC Strasbourg (2-0) on behalf of the 18th day of Ligue 1.

  • The Marseillais gave a lesson in realism to the Alsatians.

    How? 'Or' What ?

    We explain to you.

  • Thanks to this victory, the Olympians climb to second place in Ligue 1.

At the Meinau stadium in Strasbourg,

Remember last season… and do it again!

Like last year at around the same time (1-0), Olympique de Marseille won in Strasbourg (2-0).

And as in November 2020, OM succeeded without shining on December 12, 2021.

What to learn from this new lesson in realism? Perhaps first of all the defensive strength of the Olympians. Faced with the best attack in Europe at home this season (23 goals, like Bayern Munich before this weekend!), William Saliba's partners rarely trembled. Come on, two, three times to break everything. But Diallo was offside when he thought he scored (13th) then Ajorque then found Lopez on his way (50th, 77th). In short, few alerts to report in the face, however, of Alsatians who love to pack parties.

Except this time they couldn't. Jorge Sampaoli had decided otherwise. “The idea was to close the space to prevent this team from being able to play. Then recover the ball to throw yourself. What was difficult was keeping the ball. We have adapted to the opponent, ”confirmed the Argentine technician after the game, without hiding his satisfaction. He likes it when the plans go off without a hitch… “The players had a very smart game against an opponent that is difficult to face. There was a lot of fatigue after Thursday's game [against Moscow, 1-0] but we were solid. "

So much so that in the first period, the audience of the Meinau believed to fall asleep in front of the spectacle proposed by this OM without taking any risk.

In this game of sideways or back passes, Lopez was then the player who was most in demand ... and took a long time to revive, as if his team had come to seek the draw.

The Spanish goalkeeper also finished the game with a record number of balls touched (93)!

73 - Pau Lopez touched 73 balls against Strasbourg, the highest total for a goalkeeper in the same Ligue 1 match since Opta collected this data (2006/07).

Affecting.

#RCSAOM pic.twitter.com/1NVDgZBgEC

- OptaJean (@OptaJean) December 12, 2021

But to summarize the performance of the Marseillais in this wait-and-see attitude would be reductive.

Because there was also brilliance in their performance.

Even talent in its purest form when Dieng managed a superb acrobatic right chisel (0-1, 66th)!

He who had missed everything so far, including a duel against Sels (27th), had just redeemed himself and celebrated his contract extension formalized this week.

“He had a very good game.

He had other chances and he could have scored other goals.

We trust him.

He is fast and creates opportunities on his own, ”congratulated him after the game, his coach, who should still be impatient.

The Senegalese hadn't shone since mid-September and his double in Monaco.

There, his flash of genius relieved the then sluggish Marseillais without being greatly endangered.

"Marseille realism won"

Then, to complete their lesson for the evening, they finished the Strasbourg residents a quarter of an hour later.

Caleta-Car appeared at the near post on a corner from Payet (0-2, 82).

Third title on target of the evening, second goal: thank you and goodbye!

“Marseille's realism won out”, summarized Alsatian coach Julien Stéphan, without ulterior motives.

"They defended very well, as a whole, without ever leaving any space," continued Racing defender Gerzino Nyamsi, without denying the Olympian superiority of the evening either.

The one who extinguished a fire attack before breaking down his defense.

Not so simple… and paying off!

With this success, combined with the victory of Nice in Rennes (2-1), OM took second place in Ligue 1.

“Finding second in the championship when we played two competitions (with the Europa League) with a very short squad, it shows the commitment of the players.

I am very proud of it, ”concludes Jorge Sampaoli.

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