Bruno Genesio Impressed by Vélodrome Atmosphere in Marseille Debut

Marseille secured a convincing 3-1 victory against Athletic Bilbao in a friendly match held at the Vélodrome. This marked Bruno Genesio's debut as the new Marseille coach on home soil, a moment of great significance for the 59-year-old manager who has previously coached Lyon, Rennes, and Lille.

The win against Bilbao was Marseille's fourth, indicating a strengthening performance. The team displayed rhythm and desire in the first half, with goals from Angel Gomes, Igor Paixao, and the young Tadjidine Mmadi securing the victory against the Basque club. This success allowed Bruno Genesio to have a memorable first home match as the coach of the Phocaean club. It was a particularly special occasion for the 59-year-old, who had previously experienced the Vélodrome as an opponent with Lyon, Lille, and Stade Rennais.

"When we entered the field, I felt a bit of a chill," Genesio confessed after the match. "With this music, this atmosphere. It's truly unique here. I knew it as an opponent and already enjoyed playing here. Being on the right side makes it even more impressive. Seeing so many people and such an atmosphere for a preparation match is something few clubs can offer. That's also why we are here. We do this job to experience moments like these."

"It's not ideal, but we have to adapt"

Despite making significant substitutions against Bilbao, Bruno Genesio was pleased with his team's overall performance. "The players responded to our expectations and what we've been working on during five weeks of preparation. I saw many interesting things in terms of gameplay and mentality, also from those who came on during the match. Our opponent was stronger than those we've faced before, providing a good opportunity to assess what the players have absorbed since our arrival. We are satisfied."

Regarding the transfer market, the Marseille coach must navigate an uncertain future and a limited budget. "It's not ideal, I knew that. Perhaps not to this extent," he admitted. "It's not ideal, but we have to adapt. I am the coach; my job is to get 100% out of the squad available to me by September 1st. Finances and everything related to the transfer market are not my area. There are specialists for that, whom I trust. It will be up to us, the staff, to adapt to the squad we have, extract the maximum from them, and clearly define our objectives."

Following this victory against Bilbao, OM will conclude their summer preparation with a prestigious match against Atlético de Madrid next Friday at 5:30 PM at the Vélodrome, one week before hosting Strasbourg on August 21st for the opening of Ligue 1.