Olympique de Marseille needed a miracle in what will be Jean-Louis Gasset’s last game on the touchlines before he retires from management. Olympique Lyonnais and RC Lens both had to lose while Marseille had to record their fifth victory away from home in all competitions if they were to find a way back into Europe.
In the end, Marseille did their part as they defeated Le Havre AC 2-1 at the Stade Océane, but neither Lyon nor Lens could find a way of providing Gasset one final parting gift. It means that the club will finish eighth in Ligue 1 and without European football, in what will be their worst placement in the league since the 2015/16 season.
Speaking after the game, Marseille president Pablo Longoria reflected on a trying season. “Finishing eighth in the league is not acceptable, it’s impermissible.” It’s clear that a new project will have to be built after a season which saw the club managed by four different figures, and with the backing of the owner, Longoria will soon start on this transformation.
“I’m going to start looking to rebuild.” A statement that has been long expected. However, what the image of this rebuild will look like is far from clear. The club are rumoured to have missed out on their prime target for their next head coach Paulo Fonseca.
GFFN | Nick Hartland