Against Atalanta, Marseille could do nothing. The Olympians were crushed in their Europa League semi-final return (3-0) this Thursday, May 9 and saw their dream of a final disappear, shattered by Italian athletic and technical domination.
3 mins
Atalanta Bergamo was simply much better. Without regret, without debate, but in pain, OM were swept away this Thursday evening (3-0). First, as in the first leg, we felt that the Marseillais wanted to let the storm of the first minutes pass. Except that, unlike stormy rain, which is inherently very short and intense, that of this semi-final return lasted the entire first half hour of the game. A start to the game during which, if we caricature somewhat, the Italians attacked hard and the Phocaeans defended as best they could then looked for the feet of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to initiate counterattacks.
A strategy that could have paid off. Because with heart and a lot of success, as evidenced by the post hit by Charles De Ketelaere (6th) and the crossbar smashed by Gianluca Scamacca (24th) when the goal was ready, the Olympians thought they could turn the tide. Not to mention that this evening, no Mistral on the pitch, the match was played in Bergamo. So when Jean-Louis Gasset’s men thought the storm was over and showed themselves to be more enterprising, they exposed themselves.
The opening score did not wake up OM
After a quick transition, Ademola Lookman appeared in front of Geoffrey Kondogbia, fixed him in front of the area and then unleashed a strike. The leather, blocked, lodged in the small net of Pau Lopez (30th). After which, it was a matter of course. And the Marseille goalkeeper saved everyone. Solid on his line and in his exits, the Spaniard held the walls of the house until the break, not much longer.
Returning from the locker room, Matteo Ruggeri cleared Pau Lopez’s top corner with a brilliant strike after a combination with Lookman. OM simply did not have the shoulders, and even less the legs, to win this match. Despite Ligue 1 matches being postponed to accommodate OM’s European schedule, the Marseillais seemed to be running out of gas.
And if Iliman Ndiaye had scored at the start of the second half, on his lob attempt, could the optimists wonder? It probably wouldn’t have changed anything. Gasperini’s men took the break, then chose to manage the end of the match. Sometimes giving the impression that the Olympians had cartridges to come back, but only in illusion. Just to remind us, El Bilal Touré added the icing on the cake by opening his foot to crucify Pau Lopez one last time in added time and make Aubameyang’s tears flow.
There will be no Europa League final to win in order to hope to see the Champions League next year in Marseille. And perhaps not from Europe at all, given the bad situation in the championship. Marseille’s European spring ended this Wednesday evening and next winter risks being confined to Ligue 1.