Wrapped up in waterproof clothing, in the pouring rain, Marcelino paced along the touchline and gave voice to OM’s last friendly match, against RKC Waalwijk (1-0), this THURSDAY. The Marseillais completed their internship in Germany with this final preparation meeting after a first loss against KAS Eupen (0-1, July 22).
Established in support of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, in a role of playmaker, Pape Gueye opened the scoring with a strike from the left (13th). The Senegalese international (17 caps) was behind some interesting actions, as was his compatriot Ismaïla Sarr.
Marcelino is unfaithful to his 4-4-2
After numerous substitutions shortly after the hour mark (entries from Guendouzi, Vitinha, Malinovski, Touré, Mughe…), the pace of the match fell sharply. OM still have to play a last friendly match, against Bayer Leverkusen, next Wednesday at the Vélodrome (8:45 p.m.), before entering the third preliminary round of the Champions League, on August 8 or 9.
The ten days of training in this part of North Rhine-Westphalia seemed a bit long, at the end, but the players were able to soak up a little more of the method of the Spanish technician. Against the Dutch club, the former Valencia CF coach again used a 4-2-3-1 system, slightly different from his traditional 4-4-2.
Ismaïla Sarr in sight
Given the structure of the workforce and what he has already studied in Ligue 1, he should start the season in this device. It is precisely in this context that he incorporated two rookies at the kickoff: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang at the forefront and Ismaïla Sarr on the right side.
Arrived at the start of the week from Watford (English D2), the latter played his first match in his new jersey. The Senegalese international appeared rather on his legs in his lane while his compatriot, Pape Gueye, was again used in support of the striker.
Marcelino seems to like Gueye but…
Marcelino seems to appreciate the midfielder but he will first have to do without him: the CAS suspended him from all competitions for four months following his aborted transfer to … Watford, in the summer of 2020.
Despite this drawback, the team is taking shape and the rookies all seem destined to occupy a starting position, from Aubameyang at the forefront through Sarr on the right, Geoffrey Kondogbia in the middle axis and Renan Lodi, who is recovering from a muscular discomfort, in the left lane of the defense.
