Olympique de Marseille, a renowned football club, has been dealt a significant blow. Some of their loyal fanbase will be denied the pleasure of watching their team play at the Vélodrome on Thursday, March 7, during the first leg of the Europa League’s round of 16 against Villarreal. This is due to UEFA’s decision to close the Virage Nord as a result of smoke bombs being used during the match against Shakhtar Donetsk on February 22, in which Marseille triumphed with a 3-1 victory.
Additionally, the club has landed in hot water multiple times for using laser pointers and causing unnecessary delays to the kick-off. Cumulatively, these infringements have resulted in a hefty fine of 107,500 euros for Marseille, as reported by L’Équipe.
In the upcoming match against Villarreal, Olympique de Marseille will encounter a familiar face. Marcelino, the current coach of the Yellow Submarine, previously held the reins at Marseille at the beginning of the season. His tenure in Bouches-du-Rhône was short-lived, however, as he resigned in September, less than three months after his appointment.
Since Marcelino’s departure, a succession of coaches have graced the OM bench. Jacques Abardonado held the position on an interim basis, followed by the Italian Gennaro Gattuso for several months. On February 20, Jean-Louis Gasset, former coach of Côte d’Ivoire, took over the reins.
With Gasset’s arrival, there has been a sense of reassurance permeating the Marseille team. They have already registered two victories under his guidance, one against Shakhtar Donetsk (3-1), and a more recent triumph against Montpellier last weekend in Ligue 1 (4-1).
