OM petitions UEFA before Villarreal

With closed stands for the match against Villarreal sanctioned by UEFA, OM hopes to attract a few thousand more spectators in the coming hours.

It is Thursday that OM can turn their season in the right direction. Barring a good result against Villarreal, Marseille can dream of a good European run that makes up for an early-round Champions League elimination against Panathinaikos earlier in the season. For this, the Marseille club, however, cannot count on a full velodrome. No reprieve on the program despite erratic results this season, but approval from UEFA. Due to excessive use of smoke bombs and lasers during the match against Donetsk, OM saw their northern turn closed for the match against the Spaniards on Thursday evening. A huge void and loss of financial income, but above all a great sense of waste for such a meeting.

Up to 4,000 more viewers

Since then, La Provence confirmed this Tuesday, Marseille leaders are negotiating with UEFA to fill part of the stands with children from the town of Bouches-du-Rhône, to allow people not used to watching big football matches. The local daily ensures that OM management is in permanent contact with UEFA to try to change the decision, and at least authorize the presence of disadvantaged children or partner clubs. It could be 4000 children, accompanied and supervised by stewards, who would take their place in the Marseille corner to fill it. A quick green light from the European body is needed to arrange these last-minute logistics. OM is optimistic because UEFA has already authorized such an arrangement during the match against Lazio Rome in 2021. But time will be crucial.

At the same time, regular subscribers who had seats for the match against Villarreal in the north bend could buy a seat in the stands next to Jean-Bouin for 45 euros, which still risks crowding out.