Geoffrey Kondogbia has dismissed suggestions that Olympique de Marseille’s Champions League elimination should be described as “shameful” following the club’s dramatic exit in Bruges.
Marseille were outplayed for long periods in Belgium and appeared to be clinging to qualification for the play-offs before a late goal elsewhere, scored by Benfica, brought their European campaign to an abrupt end.
The defeat sealed an early exit that has fallen well short of expectations for the Ligue 1 side.
Speaking after the match, Kondogbia pushed back against the language used to describe Marseille’s performance. “The word ‘shame,’ I think it’s a bit strong.
We still had plenty of chances,” the midfielder said in the mixed zone. “To say it goes as far as shame… It’s not the first match we’ve lost, and it won’t be the last.”
Despite the player’s defence, Marseille’s Champions League journey has been widely viewed as a failure.
The club finished the group phase with five defeats, several of them described internally as avoidable, and became the first French side to be eliminated under the competition’s new format.
The disappointment has been felt across the club. Senior figures, including head coach Roberto De Zerbi and sporting director Mehdi Benatia, publicly used the term “shame” to characterise Marseille’s inability to live up to their status on the European stage.
Their remarks reflected growing frustration over a campaign that never gained momentum.
In Bruges, Marseille struggled to impose themselves and were forced into a reactive role for much of the match.
While they created opportunities, they lacked the control and consistency required at this level, leaving their fate dependent on results elsewhere rather than their own performance.
For Kondogbia and his teammates, the elimination is a painful conclusion to a competition that promised much but delivered little.
The midfielder acknowledged the disappointment but urged perspective, stressing that defeats are part of football and that the squad must now refocus on domestic objectives.
Marseille’s early exit has prompted renewed debate about the club’s European ambitions and their ability to compete consistently against continental opposition.
With the Champions League now over, attention will shift to how the team responds to this setback and whether lessons are learned from a campaign that has been marked by frustration, missed opportunities and unfulfilled promise.
