Marseille beat Leverkusen to revive its European campaign

Olympique de Marseille claimed its first Europa League win of the season on Thursday night, beating Bayer Leverkusen 1-0 away from home. The result extends Marseille’s positive Ligue 1 run and ended its opponent’s perfect start in the competition, with Leverkusen having won its first three C3 matches. Amine Gouiri scored the decisive goal in the final quarter of the game, after what Bruno Genesio described as a solid and resilient performance.

The European result contrasts with Leverkusen’s recent Bundesliga record. The German club sits sixth with 13 points after eight matches, comprising four wins, one draw and three defeats. It has scored 18 goals and conceded 16 in the league. Across its last five Bundesliga fixtures, Leverkusen has three wins and two losses, with no draws. Those figures relate to the domestic competition; Marseille’s victory came in the Europa League.

Speaking at his press conference, Genesio said he was delighted to win at a difficult venue: “Proud and happy to see my team win here, where it is never easy.” He also praised the players for following the plan: “When things go as you prepared them, it is a great satisfaction for the staff and the players.” The coach summed up the group’s spirit by saying: “There is a spirit in this group.”

Genesio said the events of the season so far had brought his players closer together. “What has happened since the start of the season has united us even more,” he said, while urging the team to appreciate its progress without losing caution. “Little by little, we are climbing back,” he added, stressing the need to understand what had changed the team’s direction and to keep moving that way.

The win also changes Marseille’s position in the qualification race. “In terms of the standings, it relaunches us completely,” Genesio said. Four matches remain, three of them at home, and the coach believes his side still has every chance of finishing in the top 24. Marseille’s next Europa League fixture is scheduled for 26 November at the Vélodrome against Levski Sofia, at 18:45.