OM’s podium hopes over, direct Champions League route gone after 0-3 at Nantes | OneFootball

Marseille’s 0-3 defeat at a Nantes side in the relegation zone on Saturday means they can no longer qualify directly for next season’s Champions League, and even fourth now looks remote.

L'Équipe notes that OM have lost further ground in the European race. They are seventh on 53 points after an 11th league defeat, while Lyon beat Rennes 4-2, Lille drew 1-1 with Le Havre and Monaco defeated Metz 2-1.

Habib Beye has made the worst start by an OM coach since 1984. Marseille sit seven points behind third-placed rivals Lyon, and the Ligue 1 podium, which carries direct entry to the Champions League league phase, is now out of reach.

With two matches left, there is only a thin chance of snatching fourth, which leads to the Champions League third qualifying round. Lille hold that place with a five-point cushion over OM, so OM must win both games and hope Lille, Rennes and Monaco all slip.

Marseille visit Le Havre on Sunday at 21:00, then host Rennes on 17 May at 21:00, a fixture that could decide fifth and a Europa League spot. If their position does not change, they will miss Europe in 2026-2027 unless Lens win the Coupe de France final against Nice on 22 May, which would hand OM a Europa Conference League play-off berth.

Source: L'Équipe