Can you dream of the Champions League and never win at home? Held 1-1 by Montpellier on Saturday at the Stade Vélodrome, OM again disappointed in front of their home crowd and thus weakened their second place in Ligue 1. So strong away from home, OM therefore remain horribly nondescript at home , where he has not won since early January and a 3-1 success against Lorient. Since then, Igor Tudor’s team have only taken three points in five games played in Marseille, three draws and two defeats.
Difficult under these conditions to believe the possible title, even in the event of the collapse of Paris SG. And as for several weeks, it is rather behind them that the Marseillais look. They see the Lensois there, who will play in Rennes on Saturday and who are only three lengths away.
While waiting for the rest, there is not much to save from the game delivered on Friday by OM, never mastered and which could certainly have fallen to the side of Montpellier (11th), with decidedly regained solidity. With several players returning tired from their selection, without Pau Lopez, sick this week and too weak, but with the surprise Vitinha, lined up in front of Ruslan Malinovskyi and Alexis Sanchez, OM thus experienced a very difficult first period.
From the 12th minute, Montpellier validated their good start to the match with the opener signed Arnaud Nordin, a goal scored after a counter kick launched by a powerful run from Wahbi Khazri and after a very long check at the video.
OM then played without rhythm and without accuracy, which was rather on the side of Khazri, Elye Wahi or Téji Savanier. The Tudor team, still borrowed from home, even went through a few moments of real panic, even great nonsense, when Montpellier launched their counter-attacks.
Just before the break, the Marseillais however came back to score, thanks to a penalty conceded by the very Parisian Mamadou Sakho, whose entry on the lawn, flocked jersey of N.75, in place of injured Kiki Kouyaté, had been greeted a little earlier by a thundering bronca.
On a recovery from Sanchez, the former Parisian touched the ball with his elbow and was sanctioned. While Jordan Veretout and Sanchez were discussing who was going to kick, it was Mattéo Guendouzi who took the ball and left them no choice: by hitting a cross into Benjamin Lecomte’s side netting, he put OM back on their feet (1-1, 44th).
After the break, from badly played shots to unsteady passes, OM did not offer much more. Vitinha, again not very convincing, was not dangerous and Dimitri Payet, who played the last quarter of an hour, could not change things either.
In the end, it was even Montpellier who came closest to success when Khazri pardoned OM by shooting wide when he was in an excellent position (66th). Next week, the Marseillais will go to Lorient, very, very far from this Vélodrome where they are no longer advancing. It might do them good, but that home weakness could end up being a deal breaker.
