Marseille’s sporting director reflects on ‘enraging’ defeat to Real Madrid

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Olympique de Marseille, it felt, had the game in their hands at the Bernabeu. Whilst Real Madrid had equalised through Kylian Mbappé following Timothy Weah’s opener midway through the first half, a moment of madness saw the pendulum swing back in OM’s favour.

As both sides prepared for a corner, Dani Carvajal, a substitute for Trent Alexander-Arnold, who lasted just a few minutes before withdrawing with an injury, headbutted Gerónimo Rulli. The referee did not spot it but VAR did and the Spain international was given his marching orders. 

However, from their position of strength, Marseille let the game slip through their fingers. The game was decided by a contentious decision, as Facundo Medina was adjudged to have handled when going in for a sliding tackle inside the box. Mbappé converted the penalty, his second of the game, with Real Madrid holding on to win 2-1.

“It’s enraging,” admitted Les Phocéens’ sporting director Medhi Benatia post-match. “It is disappointing to be 10 versus 11, with the game in our hands, and to see it slip away from us. It is also disappointing to concede a penalty like that. I am not going to say that it is an imaginary penalty, but I think it is very severe. Facundo touches the ball with the foot and then the arm, but he is in the motion of tackling. To lose like that is enraging.”

GFFN | Luke Entwistle

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