PARIS (AP) — A new coach. Same old story in Marseille.
Wednesday night’s loss in the French Cup has a different practical meaning. Trophyless season For a club from the south who haven’t won anything in 14 years and have fallen from Ligue 1 title favorites to fourth place.
Marseille have a tendency to hire and fire coaches, so they introduced Habib Bey as his replacement. roberto de zerbirecent layoffs.
De Zerbi was highly rated until his team finished short of qualifying for the Champions League play-offs. miserable 25th In the group phase, lost 5-0 To Paris Saint-Germain.
Bay have lost two of their last three games and were booed off the field at the Stade Velodrome on Wednesday after being eliminated by Toulouse in the cup quarter-finals despite leading twice.
Marseille’s defensive weaknesses have been a drawback for several seasons, but no real changes have been made.
Goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli remains weak with crosses, and central defender Leonardo Balerdi somehow remains with the team and remains captain despite three consecutive seasons of high-profile mistakes.
“We can’t accept this. We didn’t come here to play like this,” Barerdi said after Wednesday’s loss. However, he was at fault for Toulouse’s second equalizing goal, missed a shot in the penalty shootout and almost got into a brawl after the defeat.
Fans have had enough, some threw smoke bombs onto the field as players left, and so do former players.
“If you analyze the match, you can see that in this team, even if you are leading and have a comfortable advantage, as soon as you concede a goal, the house on the sand collapses,” former outstanding midfielder Samir Nasri told Canal Plus TV. “Mentally, this team has problems. Every team (participating) is scary.”
major matches
Marseille’s next game is away to Toulouse on Saturday. However, Toulouse has been in poor form in the league with three losses and two draws in their past five games.
Ligue 1 leaders PSG had Ousmane Dembele back from a calf injury for Friday’s home game against Monaco, who defeated PSG 1-0 at home in November.
Lens are four points behind second-placed PSG and should have an advantage even if PSG drops down the table, hosting rock-bottom Metz on Sunday.
Third-placed Lyon host Paris FC in the final game on Sunday, looking to end their losing streak at two.
Featured players
If Balerdi plays. Most Marseille fans want him to leave the club.
Monaco winger Simon Adingra has scored three goals in four games since joining on loan from Premier League side Sunderland.
In-form striker Joaquín Panichelli will aim to increase his league goal tally to 14 when Strasbourg travel to Auxerre on Saturday. He is joint leader in points with Marseille’s Mason Greenwood.
Activity suspended
Rennes defender Jeremy Jacquet will need shoulder surgery and could miss the rest of the season. The 20 year old jacket is Joins Premier League champions Liverpool next season.
PSG midfielders Fabian Ruiz (knee) and Joao Neves (ankle) remain sidelined. PSG manager Luis Enrique hopes to have Neves back for next Wednesday’s Champions League last-16 match against Chelsea.
off the field
Long-suffering Sochaux fans have been heartened by the news that the Peugeot logo will once again appear on the club’s shirts.
The French car manufacturer sold the club following relegation to the second division 11 years ago, ending its long-standing ownership.
Sochaux currently sit in the third tier but are challenging for promotion, with Peugeot, whose logo proudly features a towering lion, reportedly signing a five-year sponsorship deal.
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