The tops
Mute during the semi-final return, the Phocaeans missed out on the offensive level. Unlike the men in blue and black, authors of three very good goals. Ademola Lookman solidified his team’s outrageous domination in the first half. Alerted on the edge of the area, he made Geoffrey Kondogbia dance, before finding the opening with a right shot deflected by Samuel Gigot.
The second achievement of Gian Piero Gasperini’s men was a collective effort: when a ball landed on the left, Matteo Ruggeri started a one-two with Lookman then fired a heavy shot into the top corner of a helpless Pau Lopez. On the last goal, El Bilal Touré sent an acceleration worthy of a rocket on the left side, which left poor Leonardo Balerdi on the spot, before adjusting Pau Lopez for 3-0. Three goals yes, but three good goals above all.
- The end of a great journey for OM
OM’s European journey ended with a slap in the face of the final, but we must not forget that it could have ended much earlier. The disillusionment of the 3rd preliminary round of the Champions League lost against Panathinaikos could have caused the Olympians, marked by enormous refereeing errors, to plunge. On the contrary, they raised their heads to finish second in their group behind Brighton but ahead of Ajax. After a controlled barrage against Shakhtar Donetsk, Jean-Louis Gasset’s players played with the hearts of their supporters by eliminating Villarreal despite an incredible return leg (4-0, 1-3), then Benfica on penalties. Atalanta represented adversity on another level, and the elimination was logical.
Fótis Ioannídis scores from the penalty spot during OM – Panathinaikos, in the 3rd preliminary round of the Champions League
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- Atalanta, stability rewarded
Atalanta is now a club that counts in Italy. Regularly in the upper part of Serie A since the 2016/2017 season (4th that season, then 3rd three times in 18/19, 19/20 and 20/21), the Italian club has finally reached the milestone in Europe where he was eliminated in the quarters (by PSG during the Final Four, in August 2020), then in the eighth (by Real Madrid, in 20/21), in the Champions League, then in the quarters of the C3 ago two years (by RB Leizpig). He will therefore play the first final in his history in Europe in Dublin. This is the consequence of sporting stability with the tactical and playing work imposed by Gian Piero Gasperini, but also of healthy management. The Lombard club, constantly in the green in terms of accounts, manages its entries and exits well and does not spend money it does not have. La Dea is above all a gaming project. A project that smells like football.
Gian Piero Gasperini
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The flops
What would have happened if Iliman Ndiaye had won his face-to-face with Juan Musso after returning from the locker room? OM trailed by a goal in the 50th minute when the Senegalese went deep on a long aerial deflection from Jonathan Clauss. Preferred over Ismaïlla Sarr at kick-off, the former Sheffield United striker overtakes Berat Djimsiti and appears alone against the Atalanta goalkeeper.
His choice to lob Musso is the right one, but the finish does not live up to the idea, and the ball ends up next to the empty goal. The turning point of the match: two minutes later, the Bergamo club scored the break goal and condemned OM to eternal regrets. Iliman gave way eight minutes later to Sarr.
- The first period of OM
13 shots, 2 posts, 1 bar, three saves from Pau Lopez, but… only one goal conceded. Here is a statistical summary of the first period of this semi-final return. A first act where OM experienced a nightmare. Completely asphyxiated by Atalanta, who gave a big boost after a quarter of an hour of play, the French club tried to survive and seeing them return to the locker room with just one goal behind was a small miracle. The rest of the events confirmed what we had seen during this first act, with the success of the Bergamo club. If it corrected slightly in the second half, Marseille performed a first act unworthy of a European Cup half.
- Aubameyang’s impotence
You had to see his face when the final whistle blew. On the verge of tears, Pierre-Emerick Aubemayeng symbolized the Marseille shipwreck in Italy. Never found in good conditions on the attacking front, OM’s top scorer experienced an ordeal. Unable to shoot on goal in the first period, PEA had only touched 19 balls, and none of them allowed OM to be dangerous.
Symbol of this completely failed match: it was not he who had the first – and only – big Olympian opportunity, but Iliman Ndiaye, who completely missed his lob (see above). Another strong figure: according to OPTA, OM only touched 6 balls in the opposing area. In these conditions, it is impossible for Aubame to wear his own. He leaves the competition… as its top scorer (10 goals), but he will not play in the final.
The disappointment of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (OM)
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