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October 25, 2018: Olympique Marseille-Lazio 1-3, Europa League

  • Writer: Dag Jenkins
    Dag Jenkins
  • 2 days ago
  • 9 min read

Lazio beat Marseille and Garcia


An important EL win made even more satisfying coming against former Roma boss



Also on this day:

Official SS Lazio photo
Official SS Lazio photo

The season so far


Lazio had finished 5th the previous season under Simone Inzaghi. The highlights were wins against Milan 4-1, Sampdoria 4-0, Sassuolo 6-1, Benevento 6-2 at home and Juventus 2-1, Benevento 5-1, SPAL 5-2 and Fiorentina 4-3 away. They fought for a Champions League slot until the last game but were ultimately beaten 2-3 and overtaken by Inter. A disappointing end. The top scorer was Ciro Immobile with 41 goals (29 in A).

 

Lazio had however won a trophy, defeating Juventus 3-2 to lift the Italian Supercoppa. A fantastic win with a 93rd minute winner, after Juventus had come back from 0-2 late on.

 

In the UEFA Cup they had reached the quarterfinals but lost to Salzburg 5-6 (with 3 goals conceded in 4 minutes in the return leg). In Coppa Italia the Biancocelesti lost on penalties in the semi-final to Milan (afterdi two 0-0 draws).

 

This season Inzaghi was still head coach. The main new signings were: keeper Silvio Proto (Olympiakos), defenders Francesco Acerbi (Sassuolo), Riza Durmisi (Betis Sevilla), midfielders Milan Badelj (Fiorentina), Valon Berisha (Salzburg), Danilo Cataldi (Benevento - back from loan) plus forward Joaquín Correa (Sevilla).

 

Leaving Rome were: keeper Federico Marchetti (Genoa), defender Stefan de Vrij (Inter), midfielder Davide Di Gennaro (Salernitana - on loan), Felipe Anderson (West Ham United) plus forwards Filip Djordjevic (Chievo) and Nani (Valencia - end of loan and then Sporting Lisbon).

 

In Serie A Lazio were currently 4th on 18 points, after 6 wins and 3 defeats (including first two and derby). They came from two consecutive wins.

 

In today's competition the Biancocelesti had won 1 (Apollon Limassol 2-1 at home) and lost 1 (Eintracht Frankfurt 1-4 away).

 

This evening was potentially a decisive game against Olympique Marseille.

 

Olympique Marseille had finished 4th in Ligue 1, under former Roma coach Rudi Garcia. The Phocéens had reached the final of the Europa League but lost 0-3 to Atlético Madrid in Lyon. The top scorer was Florian Thauvin with 26 goals (22 in league).

 

This season Garcia was still in charge. The main new arrivals were: defenders Duje Ćaleta-Car (Salzburg), midfielders Nemanja Radonjić (Red Star Belgrade) and Kevin Strootman (Roma).

 

The main player leaving was midfielder André-Frank Anguissa (Fulham).

 

So far in Ligue 1, OM had won 6, drawn 1 and lost 3. They had won their last two. A similar start to Lazio albeit in different leagues.

 

In the Europa League the French side had drawn 1 (Apollon Limassol 2-2 away) and lost 1 (Eintracht Frankfurt 1-2 at home). Les Olympiens really needed a win tonight to revive their European campaign.


The match: Thursday, October 25, 2018, Stade Vélodrome, Marseille


A mild evening in Provence-Alps-Côte d'Azur attracted about 30,000 spectators to the Vélodrome. It would have been more but both the popular ends behind the goals were closed due to a punishment by UEFA.

 

Lazio were not welcomed particularly well anyway as their team bus was pelted with stones and bottles on arrival at the stadium.

 

The French were without Florian Thauvin while Lazio had Luis Alberto and Joaquín Correa missing.

 

Lazio dominated the first half. The Biancocelesti took the lead in the 10th minute when Wallace imperiously headed home from a Lucas Leiva corner, 0-1.

 

The hosts played with passion but it was Lazio who had all the best chances. The Romans had five shots at goal, the most dangerous with Ciro Immobile who hit the post. Felipe Caicedo was also denied what looked like a clear penalty.

 

Lazio were compact, precise and well organised, arriving at the break deservedly in front. They frustrated the hosts with accurate, quick, one touch football.

 

In the second half OM threw themselves forward but with more energy than clear ideas. In the 48th minute Lazio lost Leiva due to a muscular injury and Adam Marusic came on while Marco Parolo became playmaker. For the home side Morgan Sanson had a good opportunity but he missed badly.

 

It was still Lazio however who looked sharper and they doubled their lead just before the hour mark. In the 59th minute a perfect counterattack by Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Immobile was finished off by Caicedo. Three touches and 0-2.

 

Inzaghi then took off Senad Lulic who was on a yellow and introduced Valon Berisha.

 

Marseille played higher now and Dimitri Payet had a shot that went just wide.

 

In the 66th minute Rudi Garcia too went for his first changes bringing on Clinton N'Jie for Sanson and Valère Germain for Kostas Mitroglou.

 

Lazio were in control but in the 74th minute lost another player through injury as Caicedo hobbled off and was replaced by midfielder Danilo Cataldi.

 

Olympique based their game on physicality but had trouble creating clear cut chances apart from a long-range effort by Luiz Gustavo saved by Thomas Strakosha. In the 80th minute they brought on Bouna Saar for Jordan Amavi for their final onslaught.

 

In the 86th minute the contest was reopened as Payet scored on a freekick but Strakosha was not impeccable on the occasion, 1-2.

 

The crowd revived and pushed "les Olympiens" to try and snatch a late equaliser. Their hopes were short-lived however as in the 90th minute Marusic stole the show and definitely sent Lazio home and dry. The Montenegrin curled a sublime left footed shot past Steve Mandanda and into the top hand corner to put Lazio two goals clear again, 1-3.

 

An excellent performance by Lazio and an important and prestigious win. All the more satisfying coming against former Roma coach Garcia and former Roma player Kevin Strootman. Garcia in particular had been arrogant towards Lazio and acted unjustifiably superior in his giallorosso days.

 

Lazio were now second in the group; Eintracht Frankfurt 9, Lazio 6, Apollon Limassol 1, Olympique Marseille 1.

 

In two weeks' time, at home against today's opposition, the Biancocelesti already had the chance to book their place in the second round group phase but the objective was to win the group a to avoid stronger teams in the draw.

 

Who played for Marseille


Mandanda, Sakai, Rami, Kamara, Amav (80' Saar), Luiz Gustavo, Strootman, Sanson (66' N' Jie), Payet, Ocampos, Mitroglou (66' Germain)

Substitutes: Pelé, Caleta-Car, Lopez, Radonjic

Manager: Garcia

 

Who played for Lazio


Strakosha, Wallace, Acerbi, Radu, Caceres, Parolo, Leiva (48' Marusic), Milinkovic-Savic, Lulic (62' Berisha), Caicedo (74' Cataldi), Immobile

Substitutes: Proto, Bastos, Luiz Felipe, Rossi

Manager: Inzaghi

 

Referee: Manzano (Spain)

 

Goals: 10' Wallace, 59' Caicedo, 86' Payet, 90' Marusic



What happened next


In Serie A Lazio finished 8th. In the remaining games the Biancocelesti won 11, drew 8 and lost 10. The highlight was crushing Roma 3-0 but it was a mediocre league campaign. The top scorer was Ciro Immobile with 19 goals (15 in A).

 

In the Europa League they then defeated Marseille again, 2-1 at home but then lost the next two (Apollon Limassol 0-2 away and Eintracht Frankfurt 1-2 at home) and finished 2nd in the group. This meant a tough round of 32 tie against serial winners Sevilla which they lost 0-3 on aggregate.

 

Things went better in the Coppa Italia. Lazio defeated Novara 4-1 at home, Inter away on penalties and Milan 1-0 on aggregate to reach the final.

 

On May 15 on an uncharacteristically cold and wet Roman evening the Biancocelesti beat Atalanta 2-0 with two late goals by Milinkovic-Savic and Correa. The season ended in triumph with Lazio's 7th domestic cup.

 

Marseille finished 5th in Ligue 1. The top scorer was Thauvin with 18 goals (16 in league).

 

In the Europa League they crashed out losing the last three matches (Lazio 1-2, Eintracht Frankfurt 0-4 and Apollon Limassol 1-3) ending up bottom of the group.

 

The domestic cups went no better, out immediately both in the Coupe de la Ligue (Strasbourg on penalties) and in the Coupe de France (Andrézieux 0-2…).

 

A disappointing season for l'OM.

 

Serie A was won by Juventus for their 35th title, the Europa League by Maurizio Sarri's Chelsea (Arsenal 4-1) and the Ligue 1 by PSG.


Let’s talk about Adam Marušić


Adam Marušić was born in Belgrade in Serbia, on October 17, 1992. He is of Montenegrin nationality.


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He was however also brought up in Serbia and started playing football for local teams Teleoptik and Voždovac.


It was with Voždovac that he made his professional debut in 2010. Between 2010 and 2014 he made 89 league appearances with 15 goals.


In 2014 he moved to Belgium to play for Kortrijk in the Pro League. He stayed two years playing 71 league games (with 10 goals) and 3 in the domestic cup (with 1 goal).


In 2016 he changed teams but stayed in Belgium. He joined Oostende but only for one year, playing 35 league games (with 5 goals) and 4 cup games.


In the summer of 2017 he joined Lazio. In Rome he found manager Simone Inzaghi who played him 32 times in Serie A (3 goals -Verona, Benevento, Milan), 1 in Coppa Italia, 5 in Europa League and in the Italian Supercoppa (won 3-2 against Juventus).


In his second year he played 26 league games (1 goal-Parma), 4 in Coppa Italia and 4 in the Europa League (1 goal- Olympique Marseille). Lazio won the Coppa Italia in May, 2018, beating Atalanta 2-0.


In 2019-2020 he only played 15 league games (2 goals- Parma, Genoa). Lazio were flying until Covid- 19 interrupted the season and eventually came 4th, qualifying for Champions League. Lazio won the Italian Supercoppa, in Riyadh in December, beating Juventus 3-1.


The following season he played more regularly, getting 36 Serie A games (2 goals- Atalanta, Udinese), 2 in Coppa Italia and 8 in Europa League. Lazio came 6th qualifying for the Europa League.

 

In 2021-2022, with stadiums gradually starting to fill up again, Marušić made 33 Serie A appearances (1 goal-Genoa), 2 in Coppa Italia and 6 in Europa League. It was Lazio's first year under new manager Maurizio Sarri and the Biancocelesti finished 5th. In the next two years he made 93 appearances with one goal.


In 2022-23, still under Sarri, Lazio finished 2nd and qualified for the Champions League. Marusic played 33 league games, 2 in Coppa Italia, 6 in Europa League and 3 in Conference League.

 

In 2023-24 things did not go as well. Sarri resigned in March (but after winning both derbies) with Igor Tudor arriving and Lazio finished 7th (EL). The Biancocelesti reached the last 16 of CL but Bayern Munich were too good (2-6 on aggregate). Marusic played 37 league games with 1 goal (last second winner against Juventus), 4 games in Coppa Italia, 7 in Champions League and 1 in the Italian Supercoppa.

 

In 2024-25 Marco Baroni took over. After a promising start Lazio faded and ended up 7th and out of Europe. In the Europa League they reached the quarter-finals (after topping 36-team group) but lost to Bodo-Glimt on penalties. Marusic played 35 league games with 4 goals (Lecce, Fiorentina, Monza, Torino), 1 game in Coppa Italia and 12 in the Europa League.

 

For 2025-26 Marusic will continue while Maurizio Sarri is back as manager.


At International level Marušić has won 66 caps for Montenegro and scored 5 goals (Turkey, Gibraltar, Bosnia, Belarus, Gibraltar).


Marušić is usually played at right full-back but can also be deployed as right flank midfielder and even on the left. He is 1.85 metres tall for 76 kilos so is a physically strong player. He is good in the air, quick and possesses precise passing abilities. He is strong at ball interception so ideal for Sarri's style of play, getting the ball back as quickly as possible and then keeping control of it. The Montenegrin is a reliable player, rarely having a really bad game. This reliability however sometimes hinders his creativity and willingness to take risks, sometimes going for the safest option, not always the worst thing by any means, but there is the feeling Marušić could do more.


He has had a good spell at Lazio so far. He has played a total of 316 matches with 15 goals for the Biancocelesti not counting the current season and has won 3 trophies. He has also won 6 derbies. There is the promise of many more games to come and hopefully some more trophies.


Lazio Career

Season

Total played (Goals)

Serie A

Coppa Italia

Champions League

Europa League

Conference League

Super Coppa

2017-18

39 (3)

32 (3)

1

-

5

​

1

2018-19

34 (2)

26 (1)

4

-

4 (1)

​

-

2019-20

15 (2)

15 (2)

-

-

-

​

-

2020-21

46 (2)

36 (2)

2

8

-

​

-

2021-22

41 (1)

33 (1)

2

-

6

​

-

2022-23

44

33

2

-

6

3

​

2023-24

49 (1)

37 (1)

4

7

-

-

1

2024-25

48 (4)

35 (4)

1

-

12

-

-

2025-26

6

6

-

-

-

-

-

Total

322 (15)

253 (14)

16

15

33 (1)

3

2

Sources


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