PLAYER RATINGS | Auxerre 3-0 Marseille: Déjà vu as AJA score three past OM

Ligue 1 McDonald’s, Round 23, 22/02/25

Olympique de Marseille travelled to the Stade de l’Abbé-Deschamps to face an out of form AJ Auxerre who have not won since late November. The first time these two sides met this season, Auxerre landed a bruising 3-1 win over Les Phocéens. And it would be déjà vu as the hosts registered another three-goal victory. 

The Match

Roberto De Zerbi had called the previous meeting a “turning point” but tonight the visitors struggled to demonstrate their progress. Marseille controlled the ball but failed to threaten Donovan Léon’s goal. Their best chance came in the 16th minute when Quentin Merlin’s cross was deflected off Ki-Jana Hoever and struck the post. 

Auxerre looked the more dangerous team. They had spotted a weakness on the left of the Marseille defence and kept attempting to exploit the gap between Merlin and Geoffrey Kondogbia. In the 20th minute, Kévin Danois hit that space and found Hamed Traorè in the box, however, the Bournemouth loanee couldn’t control the ball and it bounced off his hand. 

Fifteen minutes later, Auxerre would carve out a lead. Traorè would turn creator as he switched the play wide to Gaëtan Perrin. The winger skipped past Merlin before curling a shot off the crossbar and into the back of the net. The hosts looked to double their lead late in injury time but Theo Bair’s effort was disallowed for an offside.

Marseille flew out of the traps in the second half as Gouiri had the ball in the back of the net. The Algerian international believed it was going to be his third since moving in January from Stade Rennais. However, the referee would rule out the effort as Luis Henrique was offside in the build-up. 

The visitor’s momentum would be hit when Derek Cornelius was shown a red card for a high tackle on Traoré after collecting a second yellow. The Canadian mistimed his intervention and flew into the back of the Auxerre player leaving an easy decision for the referee. 

Auxerre kept up the pressure and would soon double their lead. The substitute Lassine Sinayoko broke past the Marseille backline and entered the box. He pushed the ball wide past the onrushing Gerónimo Rulli. The Argentine took down the striker giving away a penalty. Jubal stepped up to the spot and with a neat effort struck down the middle beating Rulli.

The hosts weren’t finished and were hungry to delight in their first win in months. Jubal was on the scoresheet again as Marseille struggled to defend a routine corner. The captain strode unmarked into the centre of the six-yard box and headed home. 

Marseille Player Ratings

Gerónimo Rulli – 4

Geoffrey Kondogbia – 4

Derek Cornelius – 3

He had been solid for most of the match filling in for the suspended Leonardo Balerdi in the centre of the back three. There’s rarely a good time to earn a red card but his sending-off came at the worst moment for his side and put immense pressure on his teammates as they were chasing the game. 

Michael Amir Murillo – 4

Quentin Merlin – 3

A poor evening for the under-pressure wing-back. The calls for Amar Dedic grew a little louder. Auxerre spotted the lack of cohesion between him and Geoffrey Kondogbia and looked to exploit it whenever they got a brief chance on the ball during the first half. In attack, he was positioned high but offered very little. 

Replaced in the second half by Amar Dedic. 

Pierre-Emile Højbjerg – 4

Ismaël Bennacer – 4

Replaced in the second half by Neal Maupay.

Luis Henrique – 4

Adrien Rabiot – 4

Mason Greenwood – 3

An off night for Marseille’s top scorer. His touch was heavy throughout the match and he looked disengaged as he struggled to find space against an Auxerre defence that marshalled him well. 

Replaced late in the second half by Jonathan Rowe. 

Amine Gouiri – 4

Auxerre Selected Player Ratings

Donovan Léon – 7

The goalkeeper wasn’t tested much at all by Marseille’s attack, but his proactivity was partially responsible. Any time the visitors looked to change the tempo and attack over the top of the Auxerre defence, Léon was there to mop up the advances. He embodied a hard-working and resilient defence.  

Hamed Traorè – 7

Gaëtan Perrin – 7

Jubal – 8

GFFN | Nick Hartland