Genesio savors 4-0 win over Strasbourg but fears three to five more departures at OM

Olympique de Marseille began their 2026-2027 Ligue 1 season with a commanding 4-0 victory over Strasbourg at the Vélodrome, but Bruno Genesio tempered the enthusiasm in his press conference: the transfer window is not yet closed, and the squad could still lose three to five players before September 1st.

On the pitch, the evening was convincing. Amine Gouiri scored twice, Kylian Abdallah also found the net, and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg — despite being tipped to leave and stripped of the captain’s armband — delivered a standout performance. Genesio praised « the commitment and seriousness » of his group since the start of pre-season, while urging players and supporters to remain clear-headed: « I know where we are. We’ll need to be very careful going forward, because we still have a lot of progress to make. »

But it is the club’s financial situation that most concerns the Marseille manager. OM must urgently reduce its wage bill before it can consider new signings, and several departures remain possible in the final week of the market. « We need to lower our wage bill, and until that’s done, we can’t sign anyone. It could be three players, four players, five players, » he said to Ligue 1’s microphone, before repeating the message in his press conference.

Genesio nonetheless wanted to see in this opening victory a positive signal for the negotiations ahead: « This match can help us see things more clearly. » He also highlighted the desire for revenge among much of the squad, disappointed by the second half of the previous season. « I hope we’ll have a competitive group on September 1st as well, » he concluded, summing up in a single statement the uncertainty hanging over the Vélodrome despite an ideal start.