The icy shower taken against Nice, Sunday February 5, at the Vélodrome stadium (1-3 defeat for the 22e day of Ligue 1), cooled the euphoria a little at Olympique de Marseille. And inevitably, the rise of anxiety which, for more than a decade, has beset OM supporters before each match against PSG is once again coming to an end. But, a few hours before the round of 16 of the Coupe de France between the two teams, Wednesday February 8 at 9:10 p.m. – and before a second trip from Paris Saint-Germain to Marseille, in Ligue 1, on February 26 – the planet OM , players and fans alike, still wants to believe that the moment is right.
“We know that we are on a good dynamic and it is not this defeat that will put our heads under water… On the contrary, we will be ready”, pleaded, Sunday evening, the Marseille midfielder Mattéo Guendouzi, barely showered after the Nice nightmare. “We must quickly forget this game and focus on the next one”, chained, a few meters away, his trainer, the Croatian Igor Tudor, who was not expected to be so serene after the rout of his family.
I promise, swear, OM will not be this time, this team psychologically defeated by their fear of PSG before even entering the lawn. Since the elimination in the Champions League against the English of Tottenham (1-2), the 1er November 2022, Olympique de Marseille has been transformed. Nine wins and a draw in ten games before the Nice skid. Something to build some confidence. And even feel strong enough to compete twice in twenty days with a team that has not lost at the Stade Vélodrome since November 2011. On Wednesday, Paris Saint-Germain will also be deprived of Kylian Mbappé, injured for at least two more weeks, and obsessed with his next round of 16 first leg of the Champions League against Bayern Munich on February 14.
Fourteen sold-out matches
“Today, the two teams have the same level, esteem, supporting gesture, Bernard, 67, OM fan since 1969. Sportingly, the Parisians are takeable. Collectively, they play badly… The problem remains their individualities. » Subscriber to the Ganay stand of the Stade-Vélodrome, the supporter did not hesitate when it came to paying his place – 59 euros – for Wednesday’s match. “The Coupe de France is not included in the subscription. But, to beat Paris, it’s now or never. he convinces himself.
Like him, more than 64,000 Marseillais jumped as soon as the ticket office was opened. A craze in line with a season where OM have just played fourteen sold-out matches. Never seen. Against Nice, they were 65,200. The third attendance in history, in this stadium renovated in 2014. Against Paris, an approaching total should be reached.
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