The first whistles of the season rolled around the Vélodrome on Thursday night, after Marseille’s 1-0 home defeat to Olympiacos left a once-patient crowd staring at a team short of answers. Bruno Genesio’s side have now lost their opening two Europa League matches, following the 4-1 collapse at Besiktas, and their overall record since the campaign began stands at two wins and six defeats.
Olympiacos were not regarded as an untouchable European opponent, just as Besiktas had not been. Yet Marseille again failed to make their opportunities count and could not find an equaliser against the Greek side. Besiktas and Olympiacos have six points apiece after two matches; OM remain without a point.
Genesio had selected experience from the outset, with Nayef Aguerd, Hicham Abdelli, Angel Gomes, Igor Paixao and Neal Maupay in his starting line-up. Amine Harit, Amine Gouiri and Geoffrey Kondogbia were among those introduced later, but the changes did not alter the direction of the match. The lack of cutting edge, coupled with a failure to produce a late response, has become increasingly difficult for supporters to accept.
A stretched squad faces a growing burden
Marseille’s troubles were widely anticipated after a summer without a single signing. Financial constraints left the club with a squad considered thin both in depth and in quality, raising doubts even before the Europa League began over whether OM could sustain domestic and European commitments at the same time.
Those concerns have sharpened after two continental defeats. There is a feeling around the club that the Europa League could become another drain on a side already struggling to establish consistency in Ligue 1. The risk, however, is that the limited squad becomes a permanent explanation for performances that experienced players in the group should still be capable of improving.
Outside the stadium, frustration was no longer restrained. One supporter pointed to players suffering cramp around the 75th minute while Marseille were behind, while another argued that the team should focus on the league rather than continue a European campaign that is already in danger of slipping away.
The Vélodrome had offered encouragement through the early weeks of the season, despite the warning signs. Thursday changed the sound. Marseille have shown enough to create chances against Besiktas and Olympiacos, but not enough to turn those moments into points. With the defeats mounting, the patience in the stands is beginning to run thin.
