• Olympique de Marseille receives FC Basel (9 p.m.) in the round of 16 of the Europa League Conference.

  • Critics of coach Jorge Sampaoli are increasingly strong in Marseille, because of the misunderstanding that has arisen from some of his choices.

  • But for the Argentinian coach, this mistrust creates a form of pressure on his players, especially the youngest.

The sky darkens more and more above Marseille, and Jorge Sampaoli.

At the time of facing FC Basel in the round of 16 of the Europa League Conference (9 p.m.), there are more and more doubts around Olympique de Marseille, and anger is brewing among the supporters.

As evidenced by this “quite tense” meeting, according to several sources, between groups of supporters and President Pablo Longoria on Tuesday.

Originally scheduled to plan the move to Basel next week, it turned into a series of grievances against the Argentine coach, and his choices.

Before the match against Monaco, lost 1-0, the group of Dodgers supporters had no hesitation in comparing Sampaoli to a "pale imitation" of the adulated Marcelo Bielsa.

In a pre-match press conference on Wednesday, El Pelado had fun bringing out a tirade from El Loco, when he was Argentina coach, to respond to the supporters:

“What we need is to feel love to win.

Not just when we win, it's easy to love us when we win.

What we need is support, to be pushed.

»

Incomprehension

A criticism that Emilie Peretti, historic member of the MTP support group, does not understand.

“Honestly, they can't say we're not behind them.

We were so happy to come back after the Covid-19, to do tifos, to encourage our team.

Since the start of the season we have been behind them, while the results have not been terrible at home, which is all the more incomprehensible, ”she believes.

She also does not understand certain choices, such as the treatment of Steve Mandanda, the shelving of Alvaro "who could galvanize the team", or the intermittent tenure of Arek Milik.

“Sampoli is too destabilizing, compared to everything!

His coaching, his choices.

Out of 100 matches you have 99 different compositions.

At first you tell yourself that he is looking for chemistry, but now we are more than halfway through the season.

What is he playing?

“, she lists.

Either the same criticisms as those made by the groups of supporters on Tuesday.

popular pressure

A frown after the defeat against Monaco, and a tense meeting between Longoria and the supporters, considered "a somewhat popular decision", according to Sampaoli, which would impact the mentality of its workforce.

“It's true that in these moments, this obligation to win generates pressure on the players.

If we don't win, we have this feeling of frustration.

We have a young team as well.

It's been a year since I arrived, there was fire at the Commandery.

It's difficult for the players, with such pressure you can be afraid of losing and you can't play with this fear", he regretted, referring to "people who are waiting for our failure".

Justified criticism of Sampaoli?

“Yes and no, tempers Emile Peretti.

We are at OM, and that's what OM is.

We can be behind you very quickly, while being extremely demanding.

We come back from so far, with what happened at the Commanderie, and the season started very well.

Finally with a collective, a coach who takes risks, who is moreover Argentinian so it makes everyone dream.

This big reaction comes from this big disappointment, but we still want to believe it.

»

Starting with this match against FC Basel in the Europa League Conference, while the players continue to take their journey in this European Cup, and their third place in Ligue 1, as reasons for satisfaction.

But an elimination could clearly plunge OM into a crisis before the next international break.

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  • Soccer

  • OM

  • Marseilles

  • Sport

  • Europa League Conference

  • Jorge Sampaoli

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