RCSA: The incredible evening of the Marseillais told by Jorge Sampaoli and his players
At the Velodrome stadium,
“I understood that Lens had scored when the stadium shouted, nobody warned me. I also saw Kamara who was celebrating this but and there, there was a lot of joy”, the coach of Olympique de Marseille, Jorge Sampaoli, from his technical area, and Valentin Rongier on the other side: “J I was on the opposite side of the bench and I heard the stadium explode even though we hadn’t scored… So I said to myself, “that’s what you asked for”, I looked towards the bench and understood “. Dimitri Payet, with William Saliba, in the stands: “From 3-0 on watched the Lens match, it was on my phone because I have good 4G. Last free kick… And we all jumped! It was I who shouted first, and then the stadium exploded, ”laughed the defender, suspended for this last game of the season.
From the tears of Pablo Longoria, to the intense hug between Sampaoli and Guendouzi, or Mandanda, then Payet, each Marseillais experienced “an extraordinary moment”, Saturday evening at the Stade Vélodrome, when Lens equalized against Monaco (2-2) in any end of the match (96th). An equalizer, Cut to the crushing victory of the men of Sampaoli (4-0), synonymous with second place in Ligue 1 and direct qualification for the next Champions League.
“The most beautiful emotion I have experienced in sport”
Mostly intense emotions. “It was hard on the heart. There are many emotions today, among the most beautiful. My two children were there and it was a terrible emotion, in this stadium, ”named the Argentinian. “An extraordinary moment, it’s hard to describe. Frankly, you had to be an OM player or a supporter in the stands to describe this moment. It’s really magical, ”savored Mattéo Guendouzi, who arrived in the mixed zone with a “pow, pow pow” to celebrate this second place.
Valentin Rongier, exhausted by the last minutes of this crazy evening, was very moved to have “reached the goal”:
“When I realized that Lens had scored, I must admit that my nerves gave way a bit. It’s wonderful, for us, for the club, for the supporters. I think it’s the most beautiful emotion I’ve experienced in sport. It’s the tears of joy that came up. I’m happy to be part of this team. Everyone deserves it. »
“You can only see that at OM”
An incredible scenario made possible thanks to the equalization of Lensois Ganago, to whom Guendouzi will “send him a text to give him something well chosen”. But the Marseillais could even have snatched it alone since the VAR was going to intervene for a Strasbourg hand at the very end of the match. “I’m sure we would have done it, you can only see that at OM,” even Valentin Rongier joked.
But Stéphanie Frappart, the referee of this match, a favorite whistler, after the Lensoise equalizer and “the invasion of the field” of the Marseille staff, to the owner Frank McCourt. The Champions League anthem was able to retain in a molten Vélodrome stadium, while the players paid tribute to the other heroes of the evening: the 63,873 supporters who shared this unique moment with their team. And who will therefore relive the crazy evenings of the Champions League next season.