‘Marseille, a bit like us, can falter in moments when they could take the next step’ – Lille’s Thomas Meunier on upcoming clash | OneFootball

Thomas Meunier (34) was rumoured to be close to leaving Lille OSC over the summer. There were reports that Sunderland AFC, which had invested heavily in the French market, was looking to bring the experienced defender to the north of England. 

Instead, Meunier would remain in the north of France, as Lille had a change of heart over his departure. The uncertainty over his future would see him miss the first game of the season, but after that, he would reclaim his place as a key player in Bruno Génésio’s squad. 

Lille, like last season, where they narrowly missed out on UEFA Champions League qualification, look set to challenge for a spot in Europe’s premier competition. Ahead of this weekend, Les Dogues sit in fourth, only three points behind their next opponent, Olympique de Marseille in third, who they will host at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy. 

“This is the kind of match we love to play,” Meunier told RMC Sport. “I see it from my requests for tickets on WhatsApp. It’s not just the players who are interested. It’s [like] a Champions League match. Marseille is a great opponent. There’s going to be a fantastic atmosphere. Everything is in place for Lille to get a great result. I also promised my friend [Guillaume François] from Union Saint-Gilloise that we’d try and tire them out before he plays them next week.” 

Lille have represented a bogie team for Marseille since Roberto De Zerbi took charge of the club in 2024. Last season, all three meetings ended in a 1-1 draw, with Lille edging a Coupe de France tie on penalties. When asked if he thought that Marseille had improved since then, Meunier explained, “Last year they were already pretty good. This year, they’ve strengthened considerably… But we see that Marseille, a bit like us, can also falter in moments when they could take the next step.”

He continued, “We saw it against Toulouse, for example, when they could have taken first place. Last year, it happened two or three times. Like us, in crucial moments, we can’t seem to find that little spark that really gets us to the next level. I think we’re two fairly similar teams.”

GFFN | Nick Hartland