Ligue 1 – Day 31 – OM does the bare minimum against Dijon but sticks to the standings

A soup, OM-Dijon and in bed. What could be better than this soporific meeting as possible to dive headfirst into the arms of Morpheus? Soothing, “the Sunday night poster” reached incredible heights of boredom. Faced with the Dijonnais already in the cart and came to play 0-0 with a defense to five (go understand why …), Marseille did the bare minimum. No more no less. At half-time, at the microphone of Canal +, Boubacar Kamara perfectly synthesized the match of the Provençaux: “We are not dangerous. We play baballe“. Along the sidelines, Jorge Sampaoli traced a half-marathon, annoyed by the attitude of his flock who have long been sterile in the face of a team without ambition and the super flat encephalogram. Apart from a Wesley Lautoa header captured by Steve Mandanda (18th), the Burgundians showed absolutely nothing.

Marseille has long tried to bypass the triple thickness block of Linarès’ men. Without stinging real banderillas, the Phocaeans tried through Florian Thauvin (9th, 41st), Dimitri Payet (13th) or even Arkasdiusz Milik (30th). Not enough to thrill Saturnin Allagbé and the Marseille supporters in the heart of a first act which compiled everything that we do not like in Ligue 1. The reluctance of a defensive team and the lack of initiative. a squad with strong possession. Fortunately, the Argentinian lightning. On a well-kicked corner by Dimitri Payet, Leo Balerdi cut to the first and placed the leather flush with the post (1-0, 45 + 1e). Finally…

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The Olympians came back from the break with a bit more ambition but still so little accuracy in the penultimate and the last gesture. On his right flank, Pol Lirola made more calls and single-handedly sliced ​​through the cautious Burgundian system. After a love pass from Kamara, the Spaniard was behind Payet alone at the penalty spot. With a strike too removed from the left, the Reunionese outrageously spoiled the offering (54th). Little in the face of goal, the former Lille found Allagbé on his way despite a golden ball from Milik (60th). If the Dijonnais went up a notch and managed to combine in the thirty meters of Provence, nothing special to report. Until a free kick well kicked by Payet and cut at the near post by Alvaro Gonzalez placeholder image, well helped by the deviation of Ecuele Manga (2-0, 79th). Two assists for the Marseille number 10, three points. Not much to remember from this meeting on the Marseille side. In Dijon, the arms are already lowered. Roll on the end of the season …

The winner: Balerdi, return to form confirmed

If it was necessary to put a face on the first effects of the arrival of Sampaoli on the Marseille bench, Leonardo Balerdi would make a very good candidate. In his coach’s three-way defense, the Argentine is much more at ease and gradually regains a confidence that he had not seen since the start of the season. Admittedly the Dijon attack was absolutely nothing terrifying, but he knew how to manage the depth, to revive cleanly and to dominate in the air. Like this corner where he got ahead of everyone to cut the ball at the near post and allow OM to lead after an empty first period (1-0, 45 + 1).

The loser: Konaté, dramatic performance