After Classique defeat, Benatia and Longoria blamed for OM's 17th-place plight

Paris Saint-Germain dominated Olympique de Marseille 2-1 on Sunday evening in the Ligue 1 Classique, a result that journalist Vincent Duluc, in his column for L’Équipe, judges unequivocally: logical, predictable, and revealing of a structural gulf between the two clubs.

For the journalist, the match highlighted a gap that far exceeds a single evening. On one side, a PSG that strengthened without touching its starting eleven, capable of fielding Ferran Torres as a substitute — “the only goalscorer in the last World Cup final, 7 goals in the past month”. On the other, an OM forced to start Neal Maupay, “13 goals in the league over four years”, for lack of credible alternatives. An uncalled penalty on Amine Gouiri certainly fueled Marseille’s complaints, but did not change the overall picture.

“The Classique highlighted the chasm, unsurprisingly, between Europe’s best team that strengthened itself, and this OM that impoverished itself, without a single signing, without hope on the horizon, and under the threat of darkness,” writes Duluc.

The heaviest criticism targets the former executives. Duluc believes that Sunday’s defeat was not decided on the Vélodrome pitch, but during previous transfer windows, under the governance of Pablo Longoria and Medhi Benatia. “It was not last night that OM lost the Classique and slipped to 17th place: it was last season, and the ones before, under a governance that did whatever it wanted but allows itself to give enlightened opinions on a situation for which it is responsible.” The journalist takes a swipe at Benatia, now a pundit on matches involving his former club.

“The legacy of these peddlers of hope and hot air, who above all bought just anyone, is here this morning: OM is 17th,” Duluc concludes, noting that Marseille supporters applauded at the end of the match — a sign, in his view, that they understand what the club is defending right now, and with what means.