Amine Gouiri scored and assisted as Olympique de Marseille beat Rennes to reach the quarter-finals of the Coupe de France, but the Algerian international faced boos from a section of the Vélodrome when he was substituted.
Gouiri, who has impressed since returning from injury with six goals and one assist in nine matches, has not escaped the pressure at Marseille.
The club is enduring a period of inconsistency, highlighted by elimination from the Champions League group stage, leaving fans demanding more from their attacking players.
During Tuesday’s match, Gouiri came close to scoring a second goal before being replaced by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Two minutes after missing a clear chance, he was substituted to a chorus of boos from the home supporters.
In the mixed zone, the former Lyon striker reacted calmly and acknowledged the fans’ frustration.
“It’s because of the missed opportunity. I’m a striker myself, I like to score. I know I have to put it in the back of the net, and I think that’s what it was about. I didn’t just hear boos. There was also applause, and I took that into account. But well, afterwards, I think I understand them because I have to put it in the back of the net. And if I had, they would have chanted my name. But the most important thing today was the victory and qualification.”
J’ai pas vu cette action pic.twitter.com/KqwFsDCCvM https://t.co/JTsDtbqEzh
— 🇸🇳 (@talla_UTD) February 3, 2026
Expectations for Gouiri remain high, including from coach Roberto De Zerbi.
Speaking in a press conference, the Italian manager praised the striker but urged him to maintain focus.
“I’m happy with him, he played well. The goal he missed? I would have killed him. But he did some good things. I wasn’t pleased with his performance in Paris on Saturday, but I told him so. He’s a golden boy, an extraordinary player, and he too must raise the expectations of himself.”
Despite the boos, Gouiri’s contribution was key to Marseille’s win, underlining his importance to a team eager to regain momentum in both domestic and European competitions.
