The Olympique de Marseille suffered a strong defeat against Real Madrid (2-1) on the first day of the Champions League, despite an encouraging performance in Madrid. The team opened the score with Timothy Weah, but the Madrilenes quickly reacted with a penalty transformed by Kylian Mbappé. Goaltender Geronimo Rulli made several important stops to keep OM in the game. Despite a slightly higher possession, the Olympians continued to push, but a questionable hand from Facundo Medina allowed Real Madrid to score a second penalty, sealing the Spanish victory. OM tried everything in the last few minutes, but the experienced Madrid defense resisted.

The arbitral decision concerning the penalty granted to Real Madrid was highly controversial in Spain. Several Madrid media, such as Marca and As, believe that the sanction was unfair, arguing that Medina’s action was natural and that there was no intentional fault. Former Spanish arbitrators also expressed disagreement with this decision. Despite this bitter defeat, the Madrid press praised the quality of the game proposed by OM and the ambition of its coach, Roberto De Zerbi, highlighting the dry cleaning, intensity and offensive will of the team.

This defeat, though regrettable, suggests real grounds of hope for OM in the competition. The team demonstrated its ability to compete with one of the Champions League’s favourites and proved that it could offer an attractive and offensive game. The eleven new summer recruits and the ambitious game style of De Zerbi suggest an interesting course for OM in this competition. Despite the disappointment, the team left with the conviction that it could make a difference and leave a good impression in the Champions League.