Marseille qualify for Europa League, Rennes settle for Conference League
Marseille cap off their chaotic season with a 3-0 win over Stade Rennais, ending with qualification for UEFA Europa League thanks to goals from Pierre-Emile Højbjerg, Amine Gouiri, and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. Esteban Lepaul scored late on to put some pressure on the hosts.
A “match of destiny” were the words used by Habib Beye in the build-up to his return against his former side, and it would ironically see Marseille qualify directly for the group stage of the UEFA Europa League, nine months after the match he won with Rennes on opening day against Roberto De Zerbi’s Marseille which kicked off the turbulent season for Les Phocéens.
Les Marseillais were quick out the blocks as Paixao had a quickfire chance at goal before Pierre-Emile Højbjerg fired the Vélodrome back into life with a superbly taken low finish underneath Silistre (03’) before Les Rennais could even get onto the ball. It switched the occasion immediately, putting OM above Rennes in fifth place and into the Europa League group stage spot.
Højbjerg fires Marseille in front
It was the hosts who started the game on the front foot, and they would be rewarded with a second fortuitous goal after a huge blunder from Rennes keeper Silistrie who cleared the ball into Amine Gouiri’s outstretched leg, which rebounded into the back of the net to double OM’s lead (10’). The away side seemed to wake up, as Quentin Merlin stood up a cross to the back post and Ligue 1 top scorer Lepaul headed over the bar. Whilst the first half saw a brief lul as Rennes got back into shape, the away side rattled the cross-bar through Al-Tamari’s strike from long-range. Space started to open up at the end of the first period, and Rennes looked to get on the front foot.
Ludovic Blas was played in-behind and the Frenchman managed to knock the ball past Rulli and had the open goal right in front of him. He would opt to lay off the ball to Aït Boudlal, but the Moroccan’s effort was cleared off the line by Facundo Medina. Mason Greenwood then did well to win the ball high up the pitch off Merlin, before twisting inside and out the Rennais defence and his final shot dragging just wide. Contrarily to their entry onto the pitch, the Marseille XI would be applauded as the whistle for half-time blew.
Franck Haise made the first change at half-time, bringing off Szymanski for another attacker in Breel Embolo. Just as the second half got underway, Aubameyang had a huge chance but Silistrie would be second to his low driven strike. Embolo then passed up a glorious chance in front of goal, skying his strike well over the cross bar from just inside the six-yard box. But then the relief would come for the hosts, as Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang managed to poke home after receiving the ball inside the box to put the result beyond reasonable doubt (55’). Esteban Lepaul would at least put some pressure on in the final stages, when he rose highest and headed past Rulli following Nordin’s cross.
La Marseillaise rang around the Vélodrome in the latter stages, as OM fans saw consolation in their European qualification after a season which many have felt has lasted an eternity. Rennes were punished for their mistakes, as Franck Haise’s side would have to settle for the Europa Conference league for next season.
THE STAT: Destiny
Now at Marseille, Habib Beye faced the side he managed until February 2026. The manager has a nearly identical points-per-game ratio with Rennes (1.48) and Marseille (1.45) in the top flight this season. In total, he has accumulated 47 points in 32 Ligue 1 matches in 2025-26 with a goal difference of -6.
