Jean-Louis Gasset wants to rely on “the fervor” of the Vélodrome to overthrow Benfica on Thursday in the quarter-final second leg of the Europa League. But OM has not always responded in major home matches.
“Hope.” This is what Jean-Louis Gasset, coach of Olympique de Marseille, felt as he left the Estadio da Luz a week ago. The man with the cap, who arrived as a firefighter on duty two months earlier, knows that OM can rely tactically on their end of the match in the quarter-final first leg against Benfica (2-1) to offer another challenge to the back. And he can rely on the result, on the goal of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (67th) which reduced the gap and thus sealed a promise at the Vélodrome. The one he can believe in a star-studded evening at the return match.
“We love playing in our stadium, in front of a live audience. The players love it”, brushed Gasset in Lisbon. OM have experienced strong moments at home since their arrival, even from their first match, in the round of 16 second leg of C3, against Shakhtar Donetsk (0-1 after 12 minutes, 3-1 final score). Behind it were two victories in Ligue 1 against modest Montpellier (4-1) and Nantes (2-0). And the fireworks against Villarreal (4-0). Good points, but insufficient to nourish complete serenity a few hours before receiving Benfica.
Bad recent memories of big European receptions
Since then, there has been this missed meeting in the “Classique” against Paris Saint-Germain on March 31. Reduced to ten in the 40th minute at 0-0, PSG still showered the Vélodrome (0-2). “The public saw that we tried”, Gasset said positively. He also saw the procrastination in the last gesture (22 shots, 10 on target). A reminder that the recent Olympian form at home must be put into perspective, between the Gasset effect and the relative level of the opponents.
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Before that, Marseille had drawn three matches on its field, against Strasbourg (1-1), Monaco (2-2 while ASM was reduced to ten after 11 minutes) and Metz (1-1), and thus suffered the whistles of the OM “fadas”. The constant hubbub and electricity running through the aisles of the Vélodrome can galvanize the heart as well as paralyze the legs. Supporters have more often grimaced than jubilant over their team’s last major European matches.
The public will do their job, it’s up to us to be up to the task and be effective quickly
Jean-Louis Gasset
OM lost their three Europa League matches at home during the 2018-19 season. In 2022, he left the Europa Conference League through the very back door in the semi-final, after a neutral performance against Feyenoord (0-0), unworthy of the heat emanating from the stands. Six months later, he lost everything down to the wire against Tottenham, at the end of the Champions League group stage (1-2). Finally, above all, he did not make it through the 3rd preliminary round of the C1 on August 15, beaten on penalties by Panathinaikos in front of a helpless Vélodrome (2-2, 5-6 on the tab).
Since then, he has gone 18 matches without defeat on home soil (including 12 victories), until hosting PSG. What about Benfica, dropped for the title in Portugal and which must, like OM, save its season? “The public will do their job, it’s up to us to be up to the task and be effective quickly”planted Gasset. “We can give hope and pleasure to the public because they deserve it. We can do it here at the Vélodrome.”, supported defender Leonardo Balerdi. Win, qualify and commune before a final European square. Or sink into a dark end of the season, preceded by an oh-so-uncertain summer.
