Marseille fans unleash rare outburst at Balerdi before Ligue 1 opener

Before the opening Ligue 1 round, the Marseille crowd at the Vélodrome delivered a violent warning to Leonardo Balerdi, a defender under Bruno Genesio, after his mistake led to an equaliser for Atlético de Madrid in the pre‑season friendly match.

The encounter already belongs to pre‑season news and its result will be quickly forgotten. Yet the reaction of the Vélodrome deserves more attention.

Balerdi’s costly mistakes

The episode reveals a fracture that does not date from Friday. A rare bronca was directed at Leonardo Balerdi.

After a loss of possession that allowed Atlético de Madrid to equalise, the defender accumulated imprecisions, lost five duels and was constantly whistled at. He was substituted in the 82nd minute, prompting an immense outburst from the stands.

Such targeted hostility is exceptional during a simple friendly. The public has not forgotten his error against Toulouse in the Coupe de France nor his misery facing Ousmane Dembélé in a heavy Parisian defeat.

Roberto De Zerbi had named Balerdi captain, but he later lost the armband to Habib Beye, who wanted to free him from a psychological weight.

Despite an offer from Bayer Leverkusen estimated at €25 million plus €5 million in bonuses, OM kept the defender.

Genesio backs his defender

Bruno Genesio immediately defended Balerdi, denouncing a player “thrown to the wolves” and promising to stay behind him. The coach lacks solutions in central defence and still counts on the Argentine.

In Marseille, confidence can disappear faster than it is rebuilt. The Strasbourg reception on 21 August will launch a decisive sequence: Balerdi must regain his level and reconquer a stadium that seems to have lost patience.