PLAYER RATINGS | Real Madrid 2-1 Marseille: Kylian Mbappé brace downs valiant OM amid handball controversy | OneFootball

Roberto De Zerbi and Marseille open their 2025-2026 UEFA Champions League game with a defeat to Real Madrid. Timothy Weah opened the scoring before two penalties from Kylian Mbappé downed a spirited Olympiens side – amid a red card for Dani Carvajal and a harsh late handball call from the referee. THE MATCH

Marseille walked out to the Champions League anthem for the first time since the 2023-2023 season under Igor Tudor, carrying with them the weight and expectation of 4000 OM fans at the Bernabeu, but a return to the competition that OM have struggled in recent seasons.

Real began the game and almost immediately opened the scoring via Kylian Mbappé, who profited off a mistake from Leonardo and saw an acrobatic effort fall just wide of Rulli’s left post. An error from Facundo Medina then saw Mastantuono bear down on goal and managed to poke his effort onto the post. Kylian Mbappé was next to test Rulli, after receiving the ball in the box and seeing his strike blocked brilliantly by an outstretched Leonardo Balerdi.

Timothy Weah was the first Marseille player to get a chance at goal for Les Olympiens, breaking in behind after a long ball over the top and seeing his curled strike just float over the top of Courtois’s crossbar. And then, the huge moment as Greenwood broke into the box after an error from Hujisen, the Englishman shifted left and right before slipping Weah into the box who sent the finish past Courtois to open the scoring for OM (22′). Cue wild celebrations from the away side – yet the job was far from over for Les Olympiens.

Only minutes later, Rodrygo burst into the box and contact made from Kondogbia saw the referee point to the stop. It was none other than Kylian Mappé who stepped up to convert for Los Blancos, stopping OM’s early momentum following their opening goal (29′). Tchouameni tested Rulli from range, before Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s lovely spin saw him race down on goal and send his strike into the side-netting.

After Balerdi’s intervention on Mbappé at the start of the second half, Marseille created some nice passing patterns which saw Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang on the edge of the box before some smart dribbling from Greenwood saw a dangerous ball fizzed into the six-yard box. Dani Carvajal then received his marching orders, after a clear headbut on Geronimo Rulli – OM would play the final third of the match against 10 men. But more drama: Facundo Medina would be punished harshly for a handball offense, and Kylian Mbappé stepped up to dispatch the second penalty and Rulli couldn’t get his right hand to it (81′).

Immediately OM had to get back into the game, and threw the kitchen sink in the final minutes of the game. Les Olympiens held the ball, Greenwood blasted over the bar from close range. Yet it wasn’t to be for De Zerbi’s men, who fell to defeat despite a spirited performance at the Bernabeu.

OLYMPIQUE DE MARSEILLE PLAYER RATINGS

Géronimo Rulli – 7

The Argentine may have been guilty of some early nervy errors playing out the back, but he made up for it with more than enough stops from Mbappé, and Rodyrgo – he made 13 saves in total, but should have got his hand to the penalty from Mbappé in the second period.

Facundo Medina – 5

Leonardo Balerdi – 4

Benjamin Pavard – 5

Emerson – 5

Mason Greenwood – 6

After a slow start the Englishman began to find his rhythm, and was as important off the ball in his pressing as he was offensively on the right hand side. He provided an incisive run and a smart assist to feed Weah into a great position for OM’s opening goal.

Geoffrey Kondogbia – 4

Pierre-Emile Højbjerg – 6

Timothy Weah – 7

An exceptional performance from Weah, placed offensively on the left side and was a huge threat through the first half. Saw a first strike fizz over the bar to get OM back on the front foot, before providing a killer finish to open the scoring for Les Marsiellais – his UCL experience shone through his performance.

Matt O’Riley – 6

After a start where he looked lost, the Danish international managed to get himself right back into the game midway through the first half – his ball recoveries were good in the middle of the park and found some solid attacking positions early on in the second period. An improvement on his first outing against Lorient, and the sign of a player slowly settling in.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – 5

SELECTED REAL MADRID PLAYER RATINGS

Kylian Mbappé – 7

The France captain was impressive both on and off the ball, helping Real’s high press and stepping up when needed to convert the penalty and even had several early chances to capitalise off some defensive errors from Marseille.

Aurélien Tchouaméni – 6

GFFN | George Boxall