‘A childhood dream’: Marseille women’s captain Laplacette embraces landmark Vélodrome debut | OneFootball

When Olympique de Marseille captain Tess Laplacette leads her side out at the Stade Vélodrome this weekend, it will mark a personal and collective milestone. The 26-year-old midfielder, who has strong ties to the club, described the occasion as the fulfilment of a long-held ambition.

“For me, it’s a childhood dream 17 years in the making,” she said at a press conference attended by Get French Football News. Marseille’s women’s team — known as Les Marseillaises — will play their first-ever match at the club’s iconic home ground in front of what could be one of the largest crowds of the French season. Nearly 50,000 tickets have been reserved for the fixture against Montpellier, which could mark a record crowd for a women’s match in France.

Despite growing attention around the fixture, Lapacette insisted the squad have remained focused. “There is a lot of communication around the match, but we are concentrating on the match.” She credited head coach Corinne Diacre with keeping the group calm. “She has put us in confidence — we are serene when it comes to the pressure.”“I think the entry of the tunnel will be a big moment for me. It’s what gave me goosebumps when I was a supporter.”GFFN | George Boxall – Reporting from Stade Vélodrome Marseille.