Marseille in the Europa League: A look back at their success
Olympique de Marseille's convincing win over Stade Rennais on the final day of the season which qualified Les Olympiens for the UEFA Europa League.
For much of their modern history, OM have lived for European nights. While their 1993 UEFA Champions League triumph remains the club’s crowning achievement, Marseille’s relationship with the UEFA Europa League and its predecessor, the UEFA Cup, has also produced some of the most dramatic moments in the club’s recent history.
From painful finals to unforgettable atmospheres at the Vélodrome, OM’s Europa League story has been defined by emotion, resilience, and the unique intensity that surrounds football in France’s second-largest city.
The 1999 UEFA Cup final: Marseille announce their return
After several turbulent years following the club’s domestic scandal in the 1990s, Marseille returned to the European stage in the 1998-99 UEFA Cup. Under Rolland Courbis, OM reached the final in Moscow after overcoming the likes of Internazionale and Bologna FC 1909.
The final itself proved painful. Facing Parma Calcio 1913, Marseille were heavily beaten 3-0, with Hernán Crespo and Enrico Chiesa starring for the Italians. Despite the defeat, the run helped re-establish OM as a major European force after years in the wilderness.
The Bielsa generation and the rise of modern OM
Although Marcelo Bielsa never coached Marseille in the Europa League, his transformative 2014-15 side laid the foundations for the club’s later European resurgence. The intensity, identity, and emotional connection between the supporters and the team became central to OM once again.
That culture exploded back onto the continental stage during the 2017-18 Europa League campaign under Rudi Garcia.
2018: Marseille’s road to Lyon
Marseille’s journey to the 2018 Europa League final remains one of the club’s greatest modern European adventures. Led by Dimitri Payet, Florian Thauvin, Luiz Gustavo, and captain Steve Mandanda, OM produced a series of unforgettable performances.
The quarter-final against RB Leipzig encapsulated the spirit of the Vélodrome. After losing the first leg 1-0 in Germany, Marseille overturned the deficit with a chaotic and emotionally charged 5-2 victory at home.
Then came the semi-final against FC Red Bull Salzburg. Rolando’s extra-time winner at the Vélodrome sent Marseille into their first European final in 14 years and sparked scenes of delirium across the city. For many supporters, that campaign restored Marseille’s European identity.
The heartbreak against Atlético Madrid
The final, cruelly, ended in disappointment. Facing Diego Simeone’s Atlético Madrid in Lyon, Marseille lost 3-0, with Antoine Griezmann scoring twice against the club he had supported as a child.
The injury to Payet, who left the pitch in tears during the first half, symbolised the emotional collapse of the evening. Marseille struggled to recover after losing their creative talisman.
Yet despite the defeat, the campaign left a lasting legacy. The atmosphere around the club, the scenes at the Vélodrome, and the collective energy of the supporters reminded Europe why Marseille remain one of the continent’s most unique football institutions.
Recent campaigns and unfinished business
Since 2018, Marseille have continued to flirt with deep European runs without fully recapturing that magic. Under Jorge Sampaoli, OM reached the semi-finals of the UEFA Europa Conference League in 2022 before being eliminated by Feyenoord. Their most recent run in the Europa League was under the late Jean-Louis Gasset, and memorable campaign OM reach the semi-finals, finally being elminated in heart-breaking fashion by Italian side Atalanta.
READ MORE:
>>Marseille qualify for Europa League, Rennes settle for Conference League
