Genesio calls up young Valero to revive OM's campaign at Graz

Bruno Genesio has called up young striker Antoine Valero, 18, to the Olympique de Marseille senior squad for the first time, on the eve of the trip to Sturm Graz in the Ligue Europa this Thursday.

The context is heavy for the Phocaeans. Deprived of recruitment this summer due to financial difficulties, the club has had to part with several key players and has suffered four consecutive defeats in Ligue 1 — five including the Ligue Europa. A slight upturn has emerged in recent weeks, including a 5-2 victory at Angers last weekend, but the situation remains fragile on the continental stage: OM has already lost its first two league phase matches, against Besiktas and Olympiakos.

Faced with the limitations of offensive alternatives — Faris Moumbagna and Neal Maupay are struggling to establish themselves behind the Gouiri-Paixao-Harit trio — Genesio justified his decision at a press conference: “We integrated Antoine Valero because he’s showing things with the reserve team and we always try to reward good behaviour.” The coach added: “To see that the young players are responding to our demands and expectations, perhaps a little faster than we might have thought, that’s very good news.”

The figures speak in the player’s favour: Valero has scored seven goals in six matches this season between the reserve team, which plays in National 2, and the U19s. A productivity that earned him this first call-up, even if a start at Graz remains uncertain. For OM, the trip to Austria represents an almost mandatory appointment to revive a European campaign that is going badly.