Marseille Ends Losing Streak with Crucial Win Over Metz, Lemina Reflects on Mental Struggles
Olympique de Marseille finally returned to winning ways on Friday evening, defeating FC Metz 2-0 away in the opening fixture of Ligue 1’s 35th matchday. The victory ends a run of four straight defeats and revives the club’s push for a European place.
While the performance wasn’t vintage OM, it was effective — and much-needed. Goals from André-Pierre Gignac and Michy Batshuayi were enough to seal the result, but the mood after the final whistle was more one of relief than celebration.
Speaking after the match, Marseille’s Mario Lemina — who has featured 22 times this season — acknowledged the emotional toll the recent slump had taken on the squad.
“We’ve had some very difficult times with all these defeats,” Lemina told reporters. “Mentally, it’s been very, very hard for us these last few weeks.”
The 21-year-old added that while the team didn’t put in their most polished performance, their focus had shifted where it mattered: “We didn’t play our best game of the season, but the most important thing was to take these three points.”
Lemina suggested that part of Marseille’s struggles came from losing focus on the collective in recent matches.
“We’ve been thinking too much about playing with the ball, about our personal situations lately. That’s been lacking for us,” he admitted, in a statement that raised eyebrows and may hint at internal distractions within the squad.
While Lemina didn’t name names, his remarks come amid speculation around several players, notably Florian Thauvin, who was left out of the matchday squad by head coach Marcelo Bielsa.
With just a few games left in the season and a tight race for European spots unfolding, Marseille will need to keep their focus on the pitch and maintain the spirit shown in Metz if they hope to finish the campaign on a high.
