Europe 1 with AFP 6:31 p.m., October 31, 2022
It's "the match of the year" for OM!
Marseille receives Tottenham on Tuesday (8:45 p.m.) at the Stade Vélodrome with the possibility of qualifying for the knockout stages of the Champions League if successful, but also the risk of being eliminated from all European competition.
A match that will be followed in full in Europe 1 Sport.
The calculators are out and everyone has made their calculations, especially the Marseillais who have a clear line of action: if they beat Tottenham, they will play in the knockout stages of the Champions League, a level that the club no longer has. achieved since 2012, when Didier Deschamps was in charge.
If they lose, however, the European season will be over for them, while a draw would give them a chance to continue the adventure via the Europa League, provided that Frankfurt beat Sporting Portugal in the other match of the chicken.
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A low trust gauge
Beyond mathematics, the main problem for the Marseillais is that they arrive at this "game of the year" with a fairly low confidence gauge, siphoned off by recent results, only one victory in the last six games, for four defeats and a draw, Saturday in Strasbourg (2-2).
This trip to La Meinau was quite symptomatic of OM's current ailments, far from being catastrophic but which cannot manage to do everything well and thus conceded two goals in the last quarter of an hour after having absolutely mastered the gone for an hour.
"I don't think there is any doubt before Tottenham. Everyone wants to play this match and we will be super motivated," said Igor Tudor, more than exasperated during a freezing press conference which took place. just over three minutes.
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Forget Liverpool
To believe it, OM can relate to Tottenham's chaotic journey this season.
The Londoners have never been sovereign in Group D, shaken in the first leg by OM until the expulsion of Mbemba and beaten by Sporting Portugal.
This weekend, the men of Antonio Conte, suspended on Tuesday, were also down 2-0 on the lawn of Bournemouth before winning 3-2 in extremis, in a sort of mirror match of that of OM in Strasbourg.
The Marseillais will also be able to count on the ardor of the Vélodrome, even if it will be amputated from its North Bend, suspended after the incidents of the match against Frankfurt.
But they will especially try to forget the last "group final" played against an English club in the Champions League.
In 2007, OM had received Liverpool in a burning Velodrome and the objective was to win to pass.
A penalty conceded in the 3rd minute and a second goal conceded in the 11th had considerably refreshed the atmosphere, the Reds finally winning 4-0.