This Saturday evening, almost a week after the terrible image left by the supporters of OGC Nice which led to the interruption of the match and its non-resumption, Jorge Sampaoli’s men found their lair at the Orange Vélodrome. More than an hour before the meeting, the forecourt of Boulevard Michelet was filled with supporters and the tension mounted even more in the stadium.
Several banners, on the side of the south turn, we appear, praising the warlike state of mind of OM players. Pau Lopez and Pol Lirola, all freshly transferred, but starting on the bench, were presented to the public to the cheers and the Spanish defender was even entitled to his name chanted by the two turns.
Rongier and Lirola applauded
At 30 minutes from the start of the meeting, the supporters gave their voices, jumped and the two turns answered each other, especially during the very famous ” To arms “. Small fact to note, no bottle came to disturb the warm-up of Steve Mandanda or Etienne Green, the porter of ASSE. It was surely due to the nets at the bottom of the turns or to the excellent behavior of the Marseille supporters, who were the only examples in Nice.
All the Stéphanois corners were taken without any problem and the Vélodrome roared many times, especially on Marseille goals. After the third, marked by Cengiz Ünder, it became deafening. Valentin Rongier, excellent tonight, received a more than deserved standing ovation and what about the welcome from Pol Lirola, who finished the meeting (85th). The arena offered us a real symbiosis with the club this Saturday evening and terrible pressure on the opponent.
Puel admits that the mood played
Claude Puel, at a press conference, also explained that his players had suffered the atmosphere of the stadium: ” I think that played out, that we made some unusual technical mistakes. We lost too many stupid balls, balls that went into touch. I think we were under too much pressure. The Marseille team was playing its game, but above all the atmosphere there was. I hope that this kind of environment, we will know how to tame it “
Jorge Sampaoli, himself, had explained, in a press conference last Thursday, that he did not want the supporters to take revenge for anything and continue to do what they know how to do best: support his people. Wishes granted this Saturday evening when OM fans will probably have reconciled football fans with the sport they cherish so much.