Much more solid and serene, Leonardo Balerdi played 42 games out of 52 in all competitions last season, a radical change in status that has made him one of the key players in the squad. With of Chancel MbembaThe former Dortmund man logically regained the captain’s armband on the opening day in Brest. With the sesame around his arm, the Argentinian put in a near-perfect performance, in addition to the 5-1 win away from home, he won 100% of his duels. A match that augured only good things, and yet…

An armband that doesn’t suit him

Being captain is usually a source of motivation for a player, but sometimes the armband can be a burden, adding extra pressure to its wearer. After the success at Francis-Le Blé, the man nicknamed El Flacohas struggled to make an impact. Worse still, he had to endure a succession of mediocre performances and disappointments. Slightly injured, he missed two games with the Phocaean club, against Toulouse and Nice before making his comeback against Lyon for the Olympico. And what an unsuccessful comeback it was…in just five minutes, he managed the feat of picking up two yellow cards leaving his club 10 against 11. However, with his suspension lifted, he has returned to his captaincy as if nothing had happened. It’s a role that seems to put a lot of pressure on the Argentinian, who has fallen back into his old ways. Less serene at the restart and less biting in duels, the Balerdi of his early days at OM is back. The latest example, he totally missed out on his match against PSG, scoring an own goal.

Expected to play against Nantes, the Villa Mercedes-born midfielder failed to reassure the crowd with his defensive lapses, and was not helped by his sidekick. KondogbiaThe Canaries’ ineffectiveness in the final third of the pitch enabled them to win the game.

Balerdi not helped

Although OM turned its entire squad upside down during the last mercato, some players, such as the Argentinian international have kept the favor of the management and the new coach. Les Marseillais have strengthened their midfield, but have left the keys in the hands of the player who arrived in the summer of 2020. If his partnership with Derek Cornellius seemed to be bearing fruit, as the defensive pairing has evolved considerably. Since the start of the season, OM have played no more than two consecutive games with the same central defensive pairing. Alternating between Cornellius, Brassier and Kondogbia.

“When you play with two, you have several options, Brassier feels better, Cornelius, they could have played, but Kondogbia can have that notion of commanding the game. All the defenders have to contribute, because the game starts with them. Brassier is back to his best, he’s had physical problems and needs to acclimatize, he was the starter at the start of the season. The defender has to command the game, control the ball, I don’t want to wait and play on the counter-attack.” explained De Zerbi in a press conference before facing Auxerre. In any case, playing with a Kondogbia who is out of his depth and losing momentum at his side, and never finding the same pairing, does not help the Boca Junior-trained player in need of a reference point.

Like OM, Balerdi ill at the Velodrome

“We need more results, more personality, more courage, more determination at the Velodrome” observed the Marseille coach after the win in Nantes. If Marseille is second in Ligue 1 with 20 pointsAt home, they took just five points from a possible twelve. Faced with a auxerroise outfit who have nothing to lose, the Phocéens will have to show a lot more serenity. The pressure of the armband was mentioned, but also that of playing in front of a packed stadium. For OM’s only home win of the season against Nice (2-0), Balerdi didn’t play a single minute. Coincidence? In any case, Balerdi missed out on his last match at the Velodrome against PSG. Against Auxerre, Roberto De Zerbi is likely to keep the Balerdi-Kodogbia duo in the middle, with the Albiceleste player wearing the captain’s armband.