Marseille return from the international break with the lights low and the pressure rising. Four straight Ligue 1 defeats have left OM in 17th place, while injuries to Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Derek Cornelius have added further uncertainty before Bruno Genesio’s side travel to Troyes on Sunday.
The move
Genesio used the three-week international window to work with the players who remained at La Commanderie, insisting the break was not wasted despite the absences created by international duty and the new injury problems.
The Marseille coach described the club’s current position as an urgent one ahead of a demanding run of five matches in 15 days. The immediate aim is to halt a league slide that has damaged confidence inside the squad.
Genesio stopped short of framing the situation as a relegation fight, but acknowledged that Marseille must find a way to play without being consumed by their place in the table. He said four consecutive losses had inevitably hurt the atmosphere, and that the priority was to improve the team’s level before expecting results and confidence to follow.
The first test comes at promoted Troyes, in the match that concludes Ligue 1’s sixth round. Marseille may arrive as favourites, but Genesio warned his players against assuming that status will be enough.
He stressed that Troyes would punish any complacency and said the upcoming sequence, running through to the next international break, would be extremely important for OM’s season.
The French season around it
The international break also gave Genesio time for talks with sporting director Grégory Lorenzi and president Stéphane Richard. Their discussions covered not only Marseille’s immediate response to the difficult start, but also the direction of the club beyond this season.
Genesio said it was necessary to assess the opening block of fixtures and to understand the plans of the new leadership. He wanted reassurance that Marseille were not operating only with short-term survival in mind, but were also building towards next season and a return to a standing more fitting for the club.
The coach said those conversations left him encouraged. He believes he, Lorenzi and Richard share the same view on how to navigate the current difficult period, while also planning for the medium term.
- Bruno Genesio — Marseille head coach
- Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg — injured Marseille midfielder
- Derek Cornelius — injured Marseille defender
- Grégory Lorenzi — Marseille sporting director
- Stéphane Richard — Marseille president
For now, however, the longer project must wait for the next whistle. Marseille head to Troyes needing a performance that can stop the run, steady the dressing room and begin to lift a club sitting uncomfortably close to the bottom of Ligue 1.
