Ligue 1 McDonald’s, Matchday 32, 02/05/2026
Nantes have inflicted Marseille a shock 3-0 humiliation to put an end to their race for the Champions League and punish a wretched display from Habib Beye’s side. Les Canaris retain some hopes in their near-impossible quest to escape the Ligue 2 drop.
Both sides were in dire need of a win to retain slim hopes of fulfiling their goals for the end of the season: Ligue 1 survival for Nantes, Champions League football for Marseille. The two teams had no choice but to field their second-choice goalkeepers in Patrik Carlgren and Jeffrey De Lange after both Anthony Lopes and Geronimo Rulli sustained injury.
Played in a dull atmosphere at La Beaujoire – given Nantes fans have downed tools – Les Canaris took the game by the scruff of the neck, showing real intent in hurting a sluggish Marseille side. Habib Beye came out fighting about reports in French media about him losing the dressing room, and his players did close to nothing to allay those fears.
Marseille were lazy, out-of-sorts and completely off from the get-go, and Beye should be thankful for Nantes’ wastefulness in the final third with Jeffrey De Lange dishing a handful of good saves. The second half picked up where the first one ended, with Nantes completely on top of a sorry Marseille side.
Marseille eventually got what they deserved, and then more with Nantes racing to a shock 3-0 lead inside eight minutes with goals from Ignatius Ganago, Rémy Cabella and Matthis Abline – the latter the pick of the bunch courtesy of a mazing run inside Marseille’s leaky defense.
Marseille were properly stunned and Nantes did well to manage the remainder of the game. For all of Marseille’s awfulness today, Nantes deserve huge credit for the manner in which they reacted after last week’s deflating Brittany Derby loss. They could be heading down to Ligue 2, but they won’t do so without a fight.
As for Marseille, they have probably reached their season’s nadir, and the end of the road in the race for next season’s Champions League.
Jeffrey De Lange, 5
The Dutch goalkeeper was Marseille’s best player today, and that is saying something, thanks to a couple of good saves in the first half. But he could only delay the inevitable.
Emerson Palmieri, 4
Facundo Medina, 3
Leonardo Balerdi, 2
The Argentine centre-back will rightly get some stick for another woeful defensive display. The way in which Abline breezed past him is nothing short of outrageous.
Tochukwu Nnadi, 2
In the absence of Timothy Weah, the Nigerian midfielder was given the keys to Marseille’s right flank. It turned out to be a disastrous call from Beye. Deiver Machado got the better of him and he’s involved in Nantes’ second goal.
Quinten Timber, 3
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, 2
The former Tottenham man is supposed to display leadership, quality and calmness to lead Marseille. He did neither of those, and will forever be remembered as Marseille’s captain the day they were humiliated by a relegation-fighting team.
Arthur Vermeeren, 3
Mason Greenwood, 2
Marseille’s best attacking player this season was nowhere today and, most importantly, he looked like he didn’t have a care in the world about today’s result. Sprayed some efforts well into Row Z.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, 3
Hamed Junior Traoré, 3
Nicolas Cozza, 7
Ignatius Ganago, 7
Matthis Abline, 7
