Sturm Graz-OM give Valero a chance as Genesio praises young talent

Sturm Graz host Olympique de Marseille in a Europa League clash on Thursday, and 18‑year‑old Antoine Valero has travelled to Austria after a standout week with the reserve and U19 sides. He joins the first‑team squad for the match, marking his first involvement with the professional group.

In the past week Valero has been prolific, scoring five goals across the reserve team and the U19 side. He recorded a hat‑trick against Monaco while playing for the U19s and added both goals in a 2‑1 victory over Beaucaire in National 2 on Saturday. Across six matches at youth level he has already found the net seven times.

Valero's form in the youth ranks

The 18‑year‑old’s striking output has drawn the attention of head coach Bruno Genesio. Genesio noted that Valero’s performances exceed the expectations set for a player of his age. The forward’s ability to score consistently has accelerated his promotion to the senior squad.

Olympique de Marseille have secured two Ligue 1 victories this season, the most recent a 2‑0 win at Angers on Sunday. Their Europa League campaign, however, began poorly with a 4‑1 defeat to Besiktas and a 0‑1 loss to Olympiacos. The club now aims to reverse that trend in Thursday’s encounter with Sturm Graz.

Lille hold advantage over Monaco ahead of Sunday Ligue 1 clash

Genesio's expectations ahead of the Europa tie

Bruno Genesio stressed the importance of rewarding positive behaviour from young players. “Seeing the youngsters respond to our demands, perhaps a little faster than we thought, is very good news,” he said at Wednesday’s press conference. “We have brought Antoine Valero into the group because he shows the right things with the reserve, and we always try to value good behaviour.”

Genesio added that Marseille need three or four wins to climb out of the bottom twenty‑four in the competition. “It would be great to build on the momentum after Angers, because we missed our entry into European competition,” he explained. Securing points on Thursday would help restore confidence the squad regained at Angers.

If Valero features in the matchday squad, it will be his first exposure to senior European football. The young striker will have the opportunity to translate his youth‑level success onto a bigger stage, embodying Genesio’s policy of valuing good conduct.