We immerse you in Adrien Rabiot’s first 100% “De Zerbi Ball” goal

At the Geoffroy-Guichard stadium,

The suspense having abandoned us far too quickly in Ligue 1 on Sunday evening, we were tempted to launch into a best of improbable stats, on the Marseille side, to come back to this ASSE-OM (0-2). You should know that Roberto De Zerbi’s gang is the only team in the European Top 5 to have won 7 of their first 8 away matches this season. OM also achieved the performance of having already scored more goals away from the Vélodrome than in the entire 2023-2024 financial year (23 goals against 21).

And what about the incredible total of 163 balls touched by Leonardo Balerdi at Geoffroy-Guichard? It is there, proof of the total mastery of his team (69% ball possession on Sunday), second again in Ligue 1, just five points behind PSG. But all things considered, the masterclass collective Olympian on the opening score, from the 17th minute of play, deserves a dedicated subject in itself. No less than seven OM players participated in seventeen seconds.

A dream action, from Murillo to Rabiot

When on May 18, the Marseillais will lift the new Ligue 1 trophy at home after the victorious reception of Rennes from Sampaoli (who knows), they will have to spare a thought for Léo Pétrot. Because the missed recovery on Sunday by the Saint-Etienne defender, also unfortunate on Mason Greenwood’s penalty (0-2, 65th), could count when paying tribute to the “De Zerbi Ball” 2024-2025.

A high axial recovery from Murillo and a transmission to Hojbjerg give way to a double one-two between Greenwood and Luis Henrique, before everything begins in earnest, near the surface, between Hojbjerg, Rongier, Maupay and Rabiot . This Talent League version of Mohamed Ali’s “fly like the butterfly, sting like the bee” also resulted in the first goal in the Marseille jersey of one of the star summer recruits, Adrien Rabiot.

“Sequences worked on in training”

“It’s a bit of the role that the coach asks of me: to start from a position and be able to attack space,” explained the former PSG midfielder on DAZN. These are sequences that we worked on in training. It’s a very nice collective movement: we start from afar and it rewards the work of the team and that which the coach puts in place all week. »

Both silky and clinical, the chest control-powerful winning volley combo from Adrien Rabiot’s left foot also delighted the decisive passer Neal Maupay, involved in four of OM’s last seven goals.

« I like to play off-track and come into small spaces. Before my trip, I had already seen Adrien. It’s something we work on in training: when I drop out, we always need players who go deep. I put the ball to him and then he shot the goalkeeper. It was a great goal that got us off to a good start. »

How can we not feel untouchable when an achievement is perfect from A to Z, apart from the assistant referee’s error corrected by the VAR? “I feel a rise in the group’s power, appreciates captain Leonardo Balerdi more generally. We just have to try to find more verticality and finish our opportunities better. » Finishing pitfalls aside (21 shots to 3), this OM converted to “De Zerbisme” delights beyond the nugget validated by Adrien Rabiot.

Paul Pogba as an additional piece for the end of the season?

“I have the impression that we are more in control, better in place, all on the same wavelength”, lists Neal Maupay, while already planning for the “big test” against Lille (4th) SATURDAY. While Geoffrey Kondogbia praises “a very strong group which is being built”, Adrien Rabiot does not hide it: “I am very happy with the path that everyone is taking in this team. There is a real dynamic, it’s very professional, from the players to the coach and management. There’s definitely ambition.”

Our file on OM

Including that of “inviting with great pleasure” Paul Pogba to join this Marseille project, when DAZN teases the current midfielder of the Blues on the subject. The presence of “the Pickaxe” could be a surprise in a remake of the fast-paced OM passing circuit that we were able to enjoy on Sunday in Sainté, right?