Record deficit and zero signings: OM fans confront McCourt after third defeat

Olympique de Marseille suffered their second straight defeat on Sunday at the Vélodrome, losing 3-2 to Paris FC after already falling to Monaco (2-1). Two weeks after the enthusiasm of an opening 4-0 victory against Strasbourg, the club is entering the season with a depleted squad and an atmosphere of crisis.

The reception of PFC served as a platform for Marseille supporters, who deployed several banners directly targeting Frank McCourt. The first recalled a statement by the American owner dated April 10, 2026: “OM is one of the financially strongest clubs in Europe.” The response appeared immediately below: “Balance sheet as of 09-06-26: Record deficit, squad liquidation and inability to recruit.” A third banner, painted in red letters, posed the question bluntly: “Liar or incompetent?”

The core grievance of the ultras concerns the summer transfer window. OM sold several key players to ease the wage bill and shore up the coffers, without registering a single signing in return. This zero-entry balance fuels a sense of abandonment that recent results have only amplified.

This protest movement is not new. From the first matchday on August 28, the ultras had already chanted their displeasure, recalling that “hundreds of millions invested over ten years” had resulted in “no titles, no team, no ambition, only disappointments and humiliations.” The anger is not yet directed at the players, but the gap between McCourt’s promises and the club’s sporting reality now seems, in the eyes of supporters, impossible to bridge.