Neal Maupay stood in front of the cameras with the derby still hanging heavily over Marseille. OM had found openings against Paris Saint-Germain on Sunday, but a 2-1 defeat left the forward confronting two chances he believes should have changed the night.
Maupay regrets missed openings against PSG
Handed his first Ligue 1 start of the season, Maupay was twice presented with a clear route to the opening goal during Marseille’s home loss to PSG.
- In the 38th minute, the former Saint-Etienne and Nice striker arrived in a strong position after a Marseille move but failed to connect cleanly with his left-footed effort in front of goal.
- He had another opportunity in the 62nd minute, again unable to make proper contact as his attempted finish lacked the necessary power.
- PSG went on to win 2-1, extending Marseille’s losing sequence to five matches in all competitions.
Maupay did not attempt to soften his own assessment afterwards. “Of course,” he said when asked whether he should have taken one of those chances. “I am a striker and I want to score. It would have rewarded what was quite a good team performance. I would have liked to score and I should have scored.”
He added: “It is difficult for me because, when a striker gets into those positions, he has to put them away. Unfortunately, I did not score tonight. That is how it is.”
An experienced voice accepts the responsibility
The 30-year-old is one of the experienced figures in Bruno Genesio’s dressing room, and he accepted the scrutiny that comes with leading Marseille’s line without finding the net.
“It has happened to me before and, unfortunately, it will happen again,” Maupay said. “I would love to be like Harry Kane or Erling Haaland and score 50 goals a season, but it does not work like that. It is tough for the team and for me tonight, but we have to get back up.”
He said there was no need to hide from a difficult evening, particularly for a centre-forward whose work is measured first by goals.
“I have nothing to prove,” he said. “That is football, and it is my job. When attackers score, everybody praises them. When they do not score, they have to take responsibility. I have no issue with that.”
Maupay told his team-mates that he would have wanted to score and perhaps should have done so. With Marseille’s run now at five consecutive defeats, his message was that the response must be direct.
“I have some experience now. I am 30, and it is part of my profession,” he said. “There is no point hiding. In life, you have to face difficult moments and move forward.”
