The controversy and Marseille's declarations pointing the finger at the arbitration after OM-Strasbourg (1-1) this Sunday evening can be explained by a feeling of injustice linked to numerous contentious decisions since the start of the season. But the Olympian strategy of denouncing arbitration or even going to war is perhaps also showing certain limits.
“It’s always against us,” sighs Geronimo Rulli in the mixed zone. “The locker room is asking questions,” confides Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg on DAZN. “Basta! They want to put OM at a disadvantage?”, gets angry Pablo Longoria on the same channel…
From the players to their president, all the Olympians, convinced of having been deprived of a penalty for a foul on Jonathan Rowe, made the same offensive speech towards the refereeing, after OM-Strasbourg.
An accumulation of decisions that feeds a feeling of injustice
A feeling of injustice linked to an accumulation of decisions, which the Marseille club has in mind. A second yellow card for Derek Cornelius (OM-Nice, September 16, 2024) who would have taken too long to play a free kick, an express expulsion for Leonardo Balerdi (OL-OM, September 22, 2024), another which causes controversy for Amine Harit (OM-PSG, October 27, 2024), two severe yellow cards for Neal Maupay (OM-Angers, October 4 2024), “forgotten” penalties, according to OM, during the two OM-Lille for fouls on Hojbjerg (in L1) and Rowe (in the Coupe de France)…
More recently, Marseille conceded a penalty for a handball from Amir Murillo in Rennes. “An error,” the arbitration management acknowledged the following week.
-Is the clash strategy turning against OM?
OM left the Vélodrome this Sunday evening convinced that the club is regularly cheated. Feeling reinforced by the sanctions against Medhi Benatia (controversial red card after OM-Lille last Tuesday and suspension of 6 matches including 3 suspended after his rant in the tunnel at half-time of OL-OM) .
At the time, OM said they no longer wanted to let anything go, believing they had been too kind in the past. Internally, we wonder if this strategy is not turning against the Marseille club. Longoria, Benatia and De Zerbi all have “hot” characters and believe that it is important to denounce certain decisions to be respected.
The subject is debated internally. Some, like Fabrizio Ravanelli for example, advocate a little more dialogue and diplomacy towards referees and believe that it is counterproductive to go for a clash.
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