Habib Beye, the former captain of Olympique Marseille, had an unsuccessful return to the club as a coach. In his debut on the Phocéens' bench, his team lost 0-2 away to Stade Brestois. The result of the match opening the 23rd round of Ligue 1 was decided in the first half by Ludovic Ajorque. This defeat deepens the crisis in Marseille, pushing the team five points away from the league podium.

Habib Beye's Unsuccessful Debut

The new OM coach lost his first match 0:2 to Brest, despite high hopes for breaking the crisis after the De Zerbi era.

Ludovic Ajorque's Brace

The hosts' striker scored two headed goals in the 10th and 30th minutes, settling the match result before halftime.

Situation in the Ligue 1 Table

The defeat leaves Marseille in fourth place, increasing the gap to the podium to 5 points before the rest of the round.

Problems for OM's Stars

Benjamin Pavard and Nayef Aguerd had a dramatic performance, and Mason Greenwood missed a penalty.

The return of Habib Beye to Olympique Marseille as a coach was supposed to be an impulse for the crisis-stricken team, but reality proved brutal. Following the departure of Roberto De Zerbi, the club's management bet on its former legend, hoping for a 'new broom' effect. Beye, who had been sacked by Rennes just ten days earlier, took the helm in Marseille amid an atmosphere of tension and high fan expectations. Habib Beye is a cult figure for Marseille fans; between 2003 and 2007, he played nearly 200 matches as a defender, serving as captain of the team that reached the Coupe de France final twice.However, the match against Stade Brestois exposed numerous squad and tactical deficiencies of the visitors. The fate of the match was decided in the first half-hour when Ludovic Ajorque twice beat the OM goalkeeper with headers. The Marseillais failed to respond to the solid play of the hosts, and their situation was further complicated by a missed penalty by Mason Greenwood. The performance of key players, such as Benjamin Pavard and Nayef Aguerd, was described by French media as disastrous. This defeat means Olympique Marseille remains in 4th place in the table with 40 points, losing valuable ground to the top. Coach Eric Roy did not hide his satisfaction after the match, calling the victory over OM a 'reference match' for his team. Meanwhile, Beye admitted he has a huge task ahead to stabilize the situation at a club that has won only one of its last six matches in all competitions. „My goal is to restore OM to the top. I don't consider the team sick, but we need to calm the environment and focus on work.” — Habib Beye

Mentioned People

  • Habib Beye — New Olympique Marseille coach, former club captain.
  • Ludovic Ajorque — Stade Brestois striker, scorer of two goals in the match against Marseille.
  • Eric Roy — Stade Brestois coach, pleased with the prestigious victory.
  • Mason Greenwood — OM striker who missed a penalty in the match against Brest.
  • Benjamin Pavard — Experienced Marseille defender, criticized for his performance in Beye's debut.