UCL: Valiant Marseille defeated by 10-man Real Madrid

Marseille walked out to the Champions League anthem for the first time since the 2023-2023 season under Igor Tudor, carrying with them the weight and expectation of 4000 OM fans at the Bernabeu, but a return to the competition that OM have struggled in recent seasons.

Real began the game and almost immediately opened the scoring via Kylian Mbappé, who profited off a mistake from Leonardo and saw an acrobatic effort fall just wide of Rulli’s left post. An error from Facundo Medina then saw Mastantuono bear down on goal and managed to poke his effort onto the post. Kylian Mbappé was next to test Rulli, after receiving the ball in the box and seeing his strike blocked brilliantly by an outstretched Leonardo Balerdi.

Timothy Weah was the first Marseille player to get a chance at goal for Les Olympiens, breaking in behind after a long ball over the top and seeing his curled strike just float over the top of Courtois’s crossbar. And then, the huge moment as Greenwood broke into the box after an error from Hujisen, the Englishman shifted left and right before slipping Weah into the box who sent the finish past Courtois to open the scoring for OM (22′). Cue wild celebrations from the away side – yet the job was far from over for Les Olympiens.

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Only minutes later, Rodrygo burst into the box and contact made from Kondogbia saw the referee point to the stop. It was none other than Kylian Mappé who stepped up to convert for Los Blancos, stopping OM’s early momentum following their opening goal (29′). Tchouameni tested Rulli from range, before Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s lovely spin saw him race down on goal and send his strike into the side-netting.

handball controversy decides tight contest

After Balerdi’s intervention on Mbappé at the start of the second half, Marseille created some nice passing patterns which saw Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang on the edge of the box before some smart dribbling from Greenwood saw a dangerous ball fizzed into the six-yard box. Dani Carvajal then received his marching orders, after a clear headbut on Geronimo Rulli – OM would play the final third of the match against 10 men. But more drama: Facundo Medina would be punished harshly for a handball offense, and Kylian Mbappé stepped up to dispatch the second penalty and Rulli couldn’t get his right hand to it (81′).

Immediately OM had to get back into the game, and threw the kitchen sink in the final minutes of the game. Les Olympiens held the ball, Greenwood blasted over the bar from close range. Yet it wasn’t to be for De Zerbi’s men, who fell to defeat despite a spirited performance at the Bernabeu.

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THE STAT:

Olympique Marseille have scored in their last 5 games in the UEFA Champions League, their longest run of games with a goal in the competition (since at least 2025/2026). Mason Greenwood has contributed to goals in his last 3 games in the UEFA Champions League (1 goal, 2 assists).