A striking blow from Szoboszlai elevates Liverpool's spirits while Salah makes a triumphant return in Marseille
The journey of Liverpool and coach Arne Slot on European grounds continues to be marked by notable achievements. What many expected to be a tense and challenging test for the struggling Premier League giants—facing Roberto De Zerbi’s Marseille—turned out to be a demonstration of confidence and control. Marseille, despite their reputation, failed to live up to the intimidating atmosphere, as Slot’s team confidently advanced toward securing their spot in the last 16 of the Champions League. (https://www.theguardian.com/football/championsleague)
In this decisive victory, Dominik Szoboszlai’s goal, an own goal caused by Jeremie Frimpong, and the late goal by substitute Cody Gakpo gave Liverpool a well-deserved win in the south of France. This victory marked their ninth win in 11 away European matches under Slot’s management. While the win margin could have been even larger, especially after recent struggles with converting possession into scoring opportunities and ultimately wins, the Liverpool coach will still feel satisfied with his team’s impressive and comprehensive performance.
Liverpool started the match strongly at the passionate Stade Vélodrome, where local supporters’ noise was electric, beginning as early as 90 minutes before kickoff and continuing unabated through the game. Slot set up his team in a diamond midfield formation—a system that had worked well in their previous European match against Inter Milan. Notably, this time, Mohamed Salah was included in the starting lineup, returning from the Africa Cup of Nations after being left out of the previous game against Inter due to an earlier explosive interview at Leeds.
Pre-match comments from Slot hinted at some controversy regarding Salah’s role, with the coach remarking, 'Let’s see the lineup tomorrow if you still think there’s an issue.' However, the real underlying questions are not about Salah’s inclusion but about his relationship with Liverpool and Slot, which remains a topic of ongoing speculation.
Both teams wore black armbands and observed a moment of silence before kickoff for the recent passing of Rolland Courbis, a former Marseille player and manager, who died on January 12. Additionally, the pre-match atmosphere featured an impressive fan-made tifo depicting The Beatles, reading a local newspaper headline—‘Que l’histoire se repete’ or ‘Let history repeat itself’—alongside an image of Didier Drogba celebrating a heroics moment against Liverpool back in 2004 in the UEFA Cup. Interestingly, the Marseille crowd’s creative effort far outshone their team’s performance on the pitch.
From the outset, Marseille appeared more tense and less confident than their visitors, which was uncharacteristic for a team coached by De Zerbi. They struggled to hold possession, with Liverpool enforcing relentless pressing that limited Marseille’s options. Alisson, Liverpool’s goalkeeper, made important saves—first from Amine Gouiri’s angled shot, then bravely at Benjamin Pavard’s feet—highlighting Liverpool’s defensive resilience.
Liverpool’s attacking opportunities included Alexis Mac Allister, who, having played under De Zerbi at Brighton, narrowly missed the target early on. Ekitiké eventually opened the scoring for Marseille after a swift counterattack by Liverpool. Meanwhile, Ryan Gravenberch’s miscontrol allowed Salah to break forward, passing to Szoboszlai who, from a tight angle, narrowly missed with a shot that went just outside the post.
Marseille’s frequent mistakes on the ball frustrated De Zerbi, but Liverpool’s disciplined pressing kept their opponents under constant pressure, particularly pressing their central defenders Balerdi and Medina into errors. A rare slip deep in Liverpool’s half led to another promising counter from the visitors, with Salah nearly executing an audacious volley after Frimpong’s cross—just over the bar. Worries about missed chances temporarily lingered until Szoboszlai’s decisive goal in the 39th minute, courtesy of a expertly taken free kick. After a foul on Gravenberch just outside the box, Szoboszlai curled the set-piece into the bottom corner, capitalizing on Rulli’s position and the careless positioning of the Marseille wall—signaling a critical moment.
De Zerbi’s frustration was evident on the touchline during halftime, and Marseille responded strongly after the break. Mason Greenwood tested Alisson early with a long-range shot that the goalkeeper had to tip over, and Greenwood then led a promising break, only for Traoré to shoot over with only Alisson to beat. Meanwhile, Ekitiké’s chance to double Liverpool’s lead was thwarted when his quick shot hit the post.
However, the turning point came when Frimpong’s cross from the right was converted at the far post—thanks to a fortunate deflection off Medina and Rulli’s own goal—silencing the Marseille crowd for only the second time during the match. Liverpool capitalized further in stoppage time, when Gakpo ruthlessly finished after Gravenberch’s assist, sealing their victory.
And here’s where it gets controversial—while Liverpool’s methodical performance showcases resilience and strategic discipline, some may question whether Marseille’s underwhelming display truly reflects their potential or simply an off night. Is Liverpool justified in celebrating this hard-fought victory, or did Marseille just give them an unexpected gift?
What do you think—was this match a genuine display of Liverpool’s resurgence under Slot, or simply a result of Marseille’s poor execution? Share your thoughts and join the debate.
