Olympique de Marseille have endured a challenging start to their UEFA Europa League campaign, suffering two consecutive defeats. Despite this difficult beginning, captain Timothy Weah and manager Bruno Genesio have both expressed strong belief in the team’s ability to still qualify for the knockout stages.
Marseille are currently one of nine teams in the competition yet to register a single point after two matches. Their campaign began with an away loss to Besiktas, followed by a narrow 1-0 home defeat against Olympiacos. This leaves the French side at the bottom of their group, facing an uphill battle.
Captain’s Optimism
Speaking after the recent loss to Olympiacos, Timothy Weah remained resolute about Marseille’s prospects. “100% we can still qualify. It’s about how you finish,” the USMNT international stated. He emphasised the importance of teamwork and continued effort to turn their fortunes around. “Once we put our minds to it and continue to work as a team and push forward, and hopefully we get some wins.”
Manager’s Resolve
Manager Bruno Genesio echoed his captain’s sentiments, maintaining a positive outlook despite the disappointing results. “We’ll believe until the end,” Genesio affirmed. He acknowledged the less-than-ideal start, adding, “Of course, it is not ideal to start with two defeats. There are still lots of games to go after the qualification, but we have to improve and be better than we were this evening.”
Upcoming Fixtures
The road ahead for Marseille will be demanding, with their next two Europa League fixtures scheduled away from home. They are set to face Sturm Graz and then Bayer Leverkusen in crucial encounters. The team will not play another home game in the competition until the end of November, when they host Levski Sofia at the Vélodrome. These upcoming away matches will be vital for Marseille to secure points and keep their qualification hopes alive before returning to their home ground.