A few seconds before the final whistle of the match against Strasbourg, Saturday May 21, the Stade Vélodrome exploded. While the ball was still running between the feet of the Olympians, the public learned of the Lensoise equalizer against Monaco, almost 1,000 kilometers away. A goal that allows the Marseillais to take second place from the Monegasques, and to find the direct path to the Champions League.
⏱ 90′ | #OMRCSA 4️⃣-0️⃣
VICTORY FOR OUR OLYMPIANS!!
A success that seals our 2nd place in @Ligue1UberEats and the return to @ChampionsLeague next season! pic.twitter.com/mfrg4pjkVC– Olympique de Marseille (@OM_Officiel) May 21, 2022
A tour de force that they owe above all to themselves, since the men of Jorge Sampaoli won the victory they needed, against Strasbourg who could still hope to finish in the European places. Carried by a very good Gerson, author of a double, OM pierced the Alsatians (4-0), ended the season on a good note, and opened the doors of the big European scene.
This ultimate victory comes as a reward for a rather successful season on the part of the Olympians, long the best in the peloton behind Paris Saint-Germain. The Marseillais, who have the most successful record with 21 wins for 9 defeats, have spent 18 days on the second step of the podium over the whole season. By way of comparison, Monaco, the opponent until this last day, will have spent only three days on the box. For the 22nd time in its history, Marseille finished first or second in the Ligue 1 championship.
L’@OM_Official find her @ChampionsLeague #OMRCSA pic.twitter.com/SauRQweiuN
— Ligue 1 Uber Eats (@Ligue1UberEats) May 21, 2022
OM still suffered a great scare in the final sprint. At the end of April, at the end of the 34th day, the Olympians were six points ahead of Rennes and Monaco, in the battle for third place. But they had a big air hole, around the elimination in the semi-final of the Europa League conference against Feyenoord, marked in particular by the dry defeat at home against the Lyon enemy on May 1 (3-0).
A situation which had allowed the Monegasques to nibble their delay, and even to go back in front after the 37th day. The equation therefore promised to be complex for the Olympians who no longer had their destiny in their hands. But the Marseillais played their part until the end, and the situation ended up turning in their favor.
Marseille will therefore find the big European Cup, two years after its last campaign, in 2020-2021. OM then finished dead last in their group, with three small points on the clock, and only one victory (against Olympiakos). The club will no doubt want to look better and finally regain some brilliance in C1. The group, if it does not change too much, will be able to rely on its good course in the Europa League conference and the experience gleaned this season, and make the Vélodrome sing again.