Two days after Marseille’s 2-1 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in Le Classique, the lights were back on at La Commanderie. Bruno Genesio took charge of Tuesday’s group session, beginning a carefully managed international break after a punishing opening spell for his side.
Key takeaways
- Marseille have lost five of their last six matches in all competitions.
- Genesio remained in charge of training on Tuesday and is expected to lead sessions on Wednesday and Thursday.
- The squad will be given a full weekend away from the training ground after a physically demanding first part of the season.
- Geoffrey Kondogbia and Tochukwu Nnadi are targets for a return during the break.
- OM will play Montpellier in a closed-door friendly in Martigues on Saturday, 3 October, kicking off at 17:00.
A reset planned at La Commanderie
Marseille have adjusted their schedule for an unusual pause in the calendar, with a number of players away on international duty for several weeks. The first days of the break will include physical work, before the staff allow the remaining players time to recover both physically and mentally.
Genesio will oversee training from Tuesday through Thursday. On Friday, only players requiring individual work or treatment are expected to report to La Commanderie. The rest of the group will then receive the weekend off.
The club hope the time can ease an increasingly pressing midfield problem. Kondogbia and Nnadi could return during the break, offering Genesio badly needed options in an area where Marseille have been short of depth. Angel Gomes and Pierre-Emile Højbjerg both stayed at the club during the summer window, but the midfield has still lacked solutions during the difficult run.
Montpellier friendly to close the second week
Marseille’s second week of the international break will end with a friendly against Montpellier at Martigues. The match will take place behind closed doors, with neither supporters nor media permitted to attend.
Genesio will again have to work without several international players: Nayef Aguerd, Hicham Abdelli, Derek Cornelius, Amine Gouiri and Højbjerg are due to be away, as are young players Bezahaf, Gomis and Mmadi.
The coaching staff nevertheless see the coming weeks as an opportunity to lift a squad whose confidence has been hit by five defeats in six outings. Genesio’s own mood will also remain under scrutiny. He has shown frustration with the circumstances surrounding the start of his Marseille tenure, having expected a minimum level of recruitment support before the campaign began.
