On Friday, OM failed to overcome their sporting crisis. Against Brest on the field, amidst the Breton gusts, the Marseillais were overwhelmed and suffered another defeat against a clearly more determined SB29. A terrible disappointment for Phocéens who missed out on a win under Habib Beye’s debut as coach. Symbolizing this cruel yet expected loss, the Olympian defense had a tough evening in Finistère. Facing an all-powerful Ludovic Ajorque, who scored a brace, Benjamin Pavard and Nayef Aguerd struggled greatly.
While Leonardo Balerdi and Facundo Medina were criticized for their poor performance against PSG, their central defensive partners displayed concerning signs of vulnerability this Friday. The worst was likely the French international who, despite a challenging season, has failed to impress. Labelled as a 2 without question in the media, the former Bayern Munich player struggled and lost all duels against Ajorque. Aguerd also faltered in duels and was poor in distribution, drawing heavy criticism on social media.
Despite this, the players remain defiant. After the match, the 2018 World Cup champion expressed his frustration in the dressing room despite the effort put in. Regardless of the defenders’ frailties, Habib Beye, who chose not to use Medina while Balerdi was suspended, defended his backline’s performance in a press conference. He emphasized the importance of team cohesion and the need to address defensive shortcomings.
Published on: 21/02/2026 10:20 – Updated on: 21/02/2026 10:58
