Marseille return from the international break with little room left to stumble. Sitting second from bottom on three points, OM travel to Troyes on Sunday night for the final fixture of Ligue 1’s sixth round, with a five-match losing run across all competitions hanging over the squad.
A defining trip to Troyes
The 20:45 kick-off at Troyes is already carrying considerable weight for Bruno Genesio’s side. Marseille have endured a punishing opening sequence and have not won since the first weekend of the league season, when Strasbourg were beaten 4-0 on 21 August.
- OM are 19th in Ligue 1 with three points.
- They have lost their last five matches in all competitions.
- The win over Strasbourg remains their only victory of the campaign.
- Sunday’s game brings the sixth Ligue 1 matchday to a close.
The coming weeks appear less daunting on paper than the opening stretch, but they also remove much of the margin for excuses. Marseille face Angers away in the league after Troyes, then host Le Havre and Toulouse.
A league run that must deliver
Between those domestic fixtures, OM also have Europa League commitments against Olympiacos and Sturm Graz. The schedule is crowded, yet the next four league matches have been viewed as an opportunity for Marseille to lift themselves out of immediate danger.
- Troyes away — Ligue 1
- Olympiacos — Europa League
- Angers away — Ligue 1
- Sturm Graz away — Europa League
- Le Havre at home — Ligue 1
- Toulouse at home — Ligue 1
Daniel Riolo said the pressure would now arrive in full, arguing that Marseille must begin turning their performances into wins against opponents with more limited resources. He questioned why the club should not be targeting a maximum 12 points from the four-match league sequence.
Pressure building after a troubled start
Riolo said Marseille needed to show basic ambition rather than allow their season to drift towards a battle for 17th place. In his view, a return of fewer than eight points from the next four Ligue 1 fixtures would demand serious questions inside the club.
He also argued that the explanations offered for the difficult start — a lack of money, departures from the squad and injuries — now carry less weight after the international break gave the team time to work. The road to recovery begins in Troyes, under the lights and with OM’s need for points no longer open to debate.
