Maupay opens up about the difficult spell after Le Classique

“At the time, I may have seemed vulnerable”: Neal Maupay has spoken about the difficult spell he experienced after Le Classique between OM and PSG. In an interview with RMC Sport, the forward said his missed chances had stayed with him, while insisting that mental strength helped him get through the “turbulence”.

Selected by Bruno Genesio against PSG, Maupay had two clear chances with the score at 0-0, in the 38th and 62nd minutes. After the 2-1 defeat on 20 September, he had told the media: “I would have liked to score, I should have scored.” He now says he was affected because he wanted to do better and help his team turn a good performance into a result.

“It’s fair to say it wasn’t an easy night,” he said. Maupay noted that a forward is expected to convert chances in those situations. He mentioned Harry Kane and Haaland, who he said can score 50 goals a season, while acknowledging that this is not his own reality. In the corridors of the Vélodrome, after the defeat and what he considered a poor individual performance, his assessment was already clear-eyed.

The player also said he did not want to conceal his feelings, even if his words may have made him appear vulnerable. He felt the team had played well in front of its supporters and in a wonderful atmosphere, and regretted not contributing more. But he said he returned to work after a few days: his character and mentality, he believes, helped him through the difficult spell and allowed him to continue his season at Olympique de Marseille.

Maupay stressed the importance of keeping perspective, recognising what is going well and what needs improvement, and questioning himself every day. The international break came after the 20 September match. Two and a half weeks after Le Classique, OM are preparing to return to Ligue 1 with an away trip to Troyes on Sunday at 20:45. Maupay says he is determined to move forward: despite difficult nights and the changing nature of football, he has confidence in himself and intends to keep working, with a long-term view.