Olympique de Marseille revival under Bruno Genesio, Digi Mart USA News: Having moved from the relegation zone to the doorstep of the podium in just a few weeks, Olympique de Marseille has completely changed its appearance. After five consecutive defeats and a heavy atmosphere within the club, Bruno Genesio’s team strung together good results, winning five straight Ligue 1 matches and climbing to fourth place in the standings.
According to the report, this recovery was no accident.
The first project was tactical. After finding that his squad lacked the resources to apply the original game plan, Genesio worked alongside sporting director Grégory Lorenzi to find solutions, since the squad could not support such an ambitious system.
During the international break, the coach and his assistants held repeated meetings to rework certain player pairings without changing the overall system. Marseille therefore adopted a more pragmatic approach better suited to the qualities of its players.
At the same time, the staff strengthened physical work, and Marseille players reportedly doubled their running volume in training compared with the period under Roberto De Zerbi. This change is said to allow the team to better manage low-intensity phases and maintain higher intensity over matches.
The turnaround also reportedly took place in the dressing room, where the atmosphere has changed considerably compared with last season. After the five defeats in September, Genesio chose to promote calm and confidence while protecting his group.
The coach does not hesitate to point out errors during debriefings, but he takes care to explain his decisions and highlight his players’ progress. A person close to the dressing room, cited by L’Équipe, contrasted this approach with the previous season, when any show of joy after a defeat could be badly received.
“Last season, after a defeat, it was the end of the world,” said the close associate of a player. “After the post-match dinner, if you had the misfortune to smile and Medhi Benatia caught you, he would burn you with his stare.
With Genesio, we started again with a blank slate.”
Finally, the management of young players and sporting selections have also contributed to the transformation. The staff clarified the situation of the younger players, sometimes preferring to see them play with the Pro 2 side rather than leave them on the bench with the professionals, while promising them future opportunities.
Keyliane Abdallah is the most notable example. Demoted to the reserves after a disappointing performance against Le Havre, he later proved decisive against Lens by scoring the winning goal.
On the field, the emergence of Tochukwu Nnadi also helped rebalance midfield and freed Himad Abdelli to play a more offensive role. These adjustments have gradually put Marseille back on track.
