the 11 type of players passed through Lyon and Marseille
2 goalkeepers, 7 defenders, 11 midfielders and 13 attackers: from Jean Djorkaeff in the 1950s and 1960s to Jérémy Morel during the last decade, 33 players have worn both the colors of Olympique de Marseille and Marseille in their careers. Olympique Lyonnais. 22 first went through the Rhône, 11 through the Bouches-du-Rhône.
Most of these players have left an indelible mark in these two hexagonal strongholds, also in the great book of the history of French football, even international. Also, you might as well underline it at the outset as the quality floods the list: subject an 11 type necessarily arises from painful, subjective choices.
Only the goalkeeper position is not really the subject of debate, with a clear hierarchy which should not offend the number 2: François Lemasson (101 matches with Lyon at the end of the 1980s, 5 with Marseille during the 1998-1999 season) leaves the place at Fantastic Pascal Olmeta (98 appearances with OM including one in the final of the European Champion Clubs’ Cup in 1991, 146 with OL from 1993 to 1996.
Defense: Amoros, J. Djorkaeff, Ngotty, Morel
In order to respect the collective and defensive balance of this team, the choice was made not to stack the offensive elements, even if it means pushing on the bench of the geniuses of the game (read below). The chosen scheme is a 4-4-2 flat, with Jean Djorkaeff, Youri’s father, and Bruno Ngotty in central defense.
If he is most often associated with the victory of PSG in the Coupe des Coupes in 1996 as the only free-kick scorer against Rapid Vienne, the rock of 1.88 m spent seven seasons in Lyon and one in Marseille. It compensates for the small size of “Tchouki” Djorkaeff (1.73 m), Lyonnais from 1958 to 1966, Marseillais from 1966 to 1970.
Pascal Fugier Nicolas Nkoulou are relegated to the bench, as is Henri Bedimo, Jeremy’s understudy Morel to the left of the defense. Right, Manuel Amoros is imposed without opposition. The 1984 European champion has the particularity of having returned to Marseille (1995-1996) after having left for Lyon in 1993 after the coronation of OM in the Champions League.
Middle: Valbuena, Tigana, Diarra, Ben Arfa
The two defensive midfielders could be Daniel Bravo, Éric Roy, Laurent Fournier or Benoît Pedretti. It will finally be Jean Tigana and Alou Diarra, the first for his record (European champion and 2nd in the Ballon d’Or in 1984) and his class, the second for his size (1.90 m) and his outstanding season in each of the two clubs: 2006-2007 to Lyon, 2011-2012 in Marseille.
Two figures of French football of the 21st century emerge to occupy the sides: Mathieu Valbuena on the right, Hatem Ben Arfa to the left. The first played 331 matches in the sky and white jersey before attempting the adventure in Russia with Dynamo Moscow. It was in Lyon that he chose to sign a year later in 2015 (76 matches), attracting an image of traitor among the Phocaeans.
Often considered by his peers as one of the best of his generation despite an ultimately disappointing career, “HBA” will have known both clubs at the start of his professional career. Trained in Lyon, he will wear the jersey 92 times between 2004 and 2008 before exporting his talent, admittedly intermittent, to Marseille for three seasons (91 matches).
Attack: Anderson, Gomis
This 4-4-2 flat forced to push Abedi Pelé on the bench and to give up a 4-4-2 said in diamond shape with the Ghanaian at the baton. Difficult for the winner of CAN 1982 and the 1993 Champions League with OM, where he marked the spirits much more (138 games, 29 goals) than in Lyon (1993-1994 season, 31 games, 3 goals).
Remain the two most offensive positions, with again prestigious faces aside: Sylvain Wiltord, Florian Maurice, Loïc Rémy, or to a lesser extent Peguy Luyindula and Fabrice Fiorèse. Due to their statistics and their aura, Sonny Anderson and Bafétimbi Gomis are at the top.
Phenomenon during his short stint in Marseille upon his arrival in France (16 goals in 24 matches), the Brazilian propelled OL into another dimension from 1999 to 2003 with 94 achievements in 161 games. The panther “Bafé” will hit 90 in 243 appearances in the Rhône from 2009 to 2014. In Marseille, he stands out as the great striker so much sought after but remains only one year (2016-2017, 34 matches, 21 goals) .
OL-OM: the 11 type of players passed by the two clubs
Olmeta – Amoros, J. Djorkaeff, Ngotty, Morel – Valbuena, Tigana, Diarra, Ben Arfa – Anderson, Gomis