Genesio demotes Abdallah to Pro 2 after OM's collapse against Le Havre

Keyliane Abdallah pays the price for Olympique de Marseille’s late collapse against Le Havre (4-3), Sunday in Ligue 1. The 20-year-old forward has been demoted to the Pro 2 squad until further notice, according to La Provence, after a substitute appearance deemed insufficient by the Marseille staff.

OM appeared to be heading for a third consecutive Ligue 1 victory. Down 4-0 entering the final quarter-hour, Le Havre nonetheless scored three goals in quick succession, forcing the Phocaeans to hold their breath until the final whistle — a contentious situation in the Marseille penalty area even raising fears of a late Le Havre penalty.

In his post-match press conference, Bruno Genesio made no attempt to hide his anger, directly targeting the young players brought on during the match. « When you come to Marseille and you’re leading 4-1 or 4-0, the least you can do is show humility. Out of respect for those who played before you, out of respect for the institution… I will make sure they learn faster, » he said.

Brought on in the 78th minute in place of Amine Harit, Abdallah is the main target of this rebuke. Midfielder Himad Abdelli echoed the sentiment, emphasizing the need for consistency throughout the entire match: « The substitutes must also give their all. Tonight, that wasn’t the case. »

The other young player involved, Nouhoum Kamissoko, retains his place in the professional squad for now. But the message sent to the entire dressing room is unambiguous: at Marseille, sloppiness late in a match is not tolerated, regardless of the scoreline.