OM-OL: Press conference

Press conference replay on twitch

Adrien Rabiot: ‘An exciting match, a pleasure to play in’.

After Nice-OM

We work every week, even after positive results. It was a little less accomplished in terms of the game. We drew against Starsbourg, but it was a good game. In Nice, we showed a different side. There are ups and downs in a season. What we're doing is very good. Here, after one or two results that aren't so good, there's criticism. We need to look at what we're doing well and what we're not doing so well and get back on track on Sunday.

OM-OL

It was Lyon in the first leg, and we know how that ended. It's an exciting match, fun to play, the stadium will be full... Lyon aren't far behind in the standings. It's an interesting game to play and it's going to be important.

If we look upwards, we can only do well. It's better to look ahead than to be on fire looking behind. Looking ahead can only be beneficial.

Lyon have a new coach, which is complicated to say. We need to concentrate on ourselves, getting the ball out and playing high up the pitch. They have some good players and if we put pressure on them, they'll have trouble. If we let them out, they have the quality to go in goal.

The defeat at Nice

These are games that can happen in a season. There was a lack of reaction. The goal came quickly and it took its toll on the team, but there was still time. We weren't as good as usual at controlling the game. We rushed things a bit, which is something the coach doesn't want us to do. We were disorganised. We made mistakes after their goal. We need to be patient, more orderly and do what we used to do.

The rivalry with Lyon

I hear it's an important match for the club, there's a rivalry. I felt the joy and enthusiasm after the first leg. The match is eagerly awaited, the stadium will be full, it's important for the standings and for the fans who are expecting a lot from this match.

Medhi Benatia's sanction

We're shocked. Personally, I'm shocked. The penalty is disproportionate. We saw the pictures. He's suspended for three months... It's his role to be there, to be with the players. The difference between Medhi's sanction and that of Mr Létang is 3 months and 3 months suspended. It follows a lot of things that concern Medhi and the Club. Medhi does his job very well, he makes the Club grow. It's not right to treat him this way. People are picking on him. It would be good if journalists also denounced these things.

His role at OM

I'm pleasantly surprised by what I've discovered here: the staff, the fervour, the enthusiasm around the club. I give my all every day to help the club move forward. I try to get everyone behind me. I'm very happy to be here.

His views on the coach

We have certain positions, but the coach gives us a certain amount of freedom. I'm not a player who's going to play along the line, I'm a midfielder by team. The coach has confidence in my ability to adapt. I also have a defensive role. In training, I have to pull the others with me, to set an example, to give enthusiasm with Højbjerg or Rulli to pull the group up.

A change of coach during the season

I haven't had a change of coach in the course of a season, so I can't talk about that.

Refereeing

At times we felt we'd been unfairly treated by the referees. But we can't get out of the game because we have to keep our composure. Situations arose several times. We're made to look like people who complain, but we have to make our voices heard. OM is talking and issuing press releases. In several matches, there have been some fairly contentious decisions that have gone against us.

Luiz Felipe Ramos

I know Luiz Felipe Ramos. He's a great defensive reinforcement. He has a strong defensive base, he's a defender at heart, he likes duels and fights. He came through Italy, so he lacks a bit of boot, but he's a plus for the team and our defence.

When I play, I don't intend to hurt anyone, but I can be over-committed at times. I have a good relationship with the referees and I don't complain on the pitch. There's nothing special about going under the radar. I'm respectful and I behave well on the pitch. You can't argue with them, so if I get booked...

His future at OM

I'd like to. It's not just about me. If OM aren't in the European Cup, there'll be a lot of noise. I'm concentrating on my sporting goals. Once the season's over, we'll have a chat. I feel good, my life is going well, I'm happy to be in this group and the coach is doing a lot of good things. We take stock at the end of the season. My wish is to qualify for the Champions League and to stay. I'm having a season without a C1 at OM and if we qualify, I'm leaving... It doesn't make sense. It would be a dream to play it here, it's special for the people of Marseille and I'd like to experience it. First of all, let's achieve our objective this season.

Didier Deschamps

The end of Didier Deschamps' mandate could give everyone a boost, the players, his staff and himself. There will be one last major competition and it will be a goal for him to finish well. The players will want to give him a good outing because he deserves it. As for the future, it's difficult to talk about it. We've heard a lot about Zidane, and that would be great. As for the coach, I hope it ends on a good note.

Roberto De Zerbi: ‘Get back up against Lyon

Medhi Benatia's punishment

You want to know what I think. I always say what I think and for that reason I'm not going to say anything. That way, there won't be any controversy. At that match, I didn't understand what Létang was doing on the pitch. I'm surprised, that's all I can say.

Amine Gouiri

It's not official yet, we'll have to wait a little longer. He's a very strong young player. It would be an important purchase. Medhi and Pablo are doing well at the mercato. We still need players. We're trying to improve the team with a single direction for everyone.

He's a versatile player, he can play as a centre-forward. I've known him quite well for a long time and he can play in every attacking position. Depending on the match, we'll see if we can find the right solution.

The mercato

We have a wildcard like Kondgobia, who can play in midfield or defence. We'll see. We need players who are proud to play for OM and players of the highest calibre, because we need to strengthen both this season and next.

Recent results

You can't put everything together: Nice, Strasbourg, Lille in the Cup. We put in good performances against Lille and Strasbourg. Against Nice, we didn't play well from start to finish, we didn't do what we used to do.

OM-OL

It's an important match for the rivalry, for the standings, and to react after that defeat. That's what I told the players. We reacted well after Auxerre and we need to bounce back on Sunday against a good team. Getting back to winning ways against a direct rival is the beauty of football.

Geronimo Rulli

He's a 360-degree leader, both on the pitch and in the dressing room. I knew him, I trusted him and he did even better than we expected.

Jonathan Rowe

No, he's been training really well for the last 2-3 weeks. It's been a radical change for him. He's 22 years old, he arrived less than a year ago, so it's a radical change. He's found competition, a different stadium... You have to wait and see what happens with Luis Henrique. He had trouble settling in. You have to give a project time.

Luiz Felipe Ramos

He's much better, he can start a match. He's getting better, he's progressing. He's an important signing, a positive player. He's used to big cities and big stadiums. He's been in some hot spots and he's ended up in a natural place for him.

Mason Greenwood

That's a good question. I try to help him, Medhi and the whole club too. We're trying to help them all, all the young players who need to achieve a stronger mentality. Greenwood has more ups than downs. He still has to improve. He had a year and a half off. He then played at Getafe, with less pressure. His father plays a key role for him, he's positive and he helps me. I have a relationship with him to manage Mason. I use everything I can and his father can help him mature.

The elimination against Lille

Yes, but we didn't play it down. The reaction to defeat and victory is something you discover when it happens to you. To work at this level, you have to be strong in difficult moments. We're second, so it's not a difficult moment, but you have to react with balance. We need to bounce back in the right way after the defeat at Nice.

Geoffrey Kondogbia and Amine Harit

Geoffrey Kondogbia is working on his own and should be back with the group soon. He had a relapse and had to delay his comeback.

Amine Harit will soon start working with the group again.

Adrien Rabiot

This is the role where he's at his best. We still need to make better use of him in the insertions. In midfield, with Rongier, Højbjerg and Rabiot, Rabiot is the most attacking. Rongier brings order and Højbjerg is a total player. They complement each other, Rabiot gives you upward insertion, he changes the rhythm.

Attack: scoring more goals

My health is also linked to goals. When the team doesn't score, it annoys me and I want to stay healthy. Over the last few weeks, some important players haven't been at 100%. We need to put the Nice game aside and concentrate on Lyon. We need to score goals and not take any. In Nice, I was annoyed by some of the things we did. That can happen over the course of a season, but we took more shots than Nice. My feeling was that we could have played for 2 days and still not have managed to score.