Ballon d'Or potential the hero as Marseille sink Monaco

Before the important game with Monaco, Marseille boss Roberto De Zerbi took some minutes during the press conference to talk about Mason Greenwood, claiming that the former Manchester United forward had ‘Ballon d’Or potential’.

The praises obviously worked, as tonight it was Greenwood who scored the winning goal in a game in which Marseille deserved to lose.

The winning goal (1-0) came in the 82nd minute after a number of missed opportunities from Monaco, who were punished in the end, after they missed them all.

The visitors had a great opportunity to come back into the mix for the Champions League place as they already trailed Marseille by six points, but tonight they missed the opportunity and will finish the 2025 in ninth place.

Marseille's manager will have to look at the game again as his team was overrun for most parts of the game and defended heavily at their own ground, even allowing two goals.

Luckily for them, both were nullified due to offside. In order to catch up with PSG and give them a real run for their money, they will have to play much, much better.

The first 15 minutes were all about the home team, which attacked mostly through Aubameyang and Greenwood.

Hradecky had to intervene in the fifth minute after a shot from Aubameyang.

But soon things changed, and Monaco took total advantage.

Former Liverpool forward Minamino was the main actor with two good chances, in the 33rd minute (big mistake by Aguerd) and in the 42nd minute, when the Japanese should have done better, but the ball passed Rulli. Hojbjerg cleared the ball off the line when Rulli was already beaten in the 44th minute.

Half-time was a relief for the home team, but they obviously did not do anything that Robert De Zerbi asked of them in the locker room as Monaco continued to dominate and attack right from the 46th minute.

Minamino again had a great opportunity, and the ball grazed Rulli's post.

Finally, the visitors punished Marseille for their poor display in the 52nd minute with a powerful shot from Camara, but luckily for the home team, Balogun was offside when the action started, and we were back to square one.

Finally, Marseille had a chance, and after O'Riley's shot, it was time for Monaco defenders to clear the ball off the line.

It was the start of a period of chances for De Zerbi’s men, which started with Greenwood and continued with a fierce Aubameyang projectile, which was saved by Hradecky.

Mbappe, Rodrygo rescue Xabi Alonso’s job

Velodrome went silent in the 80th minute after a great action in which Balogun scored, but he was offside again, and the goal was denied.

And then came the moment when Greenwood saved the day after an assist from Hojbjerg.

Monaco pushed hard for the late equalizer and had two great opportunities, but Marseille somehow survived and even recorded a clean sheet at the end.

LIGUE 1 - ROUND 16

Friday

Angers - Nantes 4-1 (1-0)

/Abdelli 17, Cherif 60, Harouna 85, Raolisoa 90+4 - Centonze 81/

Saturday

Rennes - Brest 3-1 (2-1)

/Lepaul 24, Tamari 25, Meite 87 - Balde 13/

Metz - PSG 2-3 (1-2)

/Deminguet 42, Tsitaishvili 81 - Ramos 31, Ndjantou 39, Doue 63/

Paris - Toulouse 0-3 (0-1)

/Hidalgo 29, Gboho 37, 69

Sunday

Olympique Lyon - Le Havre 1-0 (0-0)

/Šulc 52/

Auxerre - Lille 3-4 (0-1)

/Sinayoko 57, 83(p), Mbemba 66(og) - Haraldsson 9, Bentaleb 77, Diaoune 80, Andre 86/

Lens - Nice 2-0 (1-0)

/Edouard 15, 57/

Strasbourg - Lorient 0-0

Olympique Marseille - Monaco 1-0 (0-0)

/Greenwood 82/