Igor Paixão, the 26-year-old Brazilian striker, extended his goalless period after Olympique de Marseille's defeat against Olympiakos (0-1) on the second day of the Europa League. After a sulky outing at Troyes, the player found his smiling face but his lack of productivity was confirmed in front of the Greeks. He has gone eleven consecutive games without scoring, since his last goal against Metz on April 10.
In an almost empty Vélodrome stadium, Paixão failed to create any scoring chances. OM only attempted two shots from distance during the first period, one from Neal Maupay who was disqualified offside and the other from Keyliane Abdallah who was well stopped by referee Ortega. The only notable offensive actions were the combinations between the two Amine, Harit and Gouiri, which showed better coordination. Paixão, for his part, seemed more inspired when he was well accompanied, but he still needs to improve his shooting, especially on the curling shot in the 60th minute.
This shortage is all the more worrying as Paixão is the most expensive player in the club's history, with a transfer of 35 million euros (bonus included) signed in the summer of 2025 from Feyenoord. His lack of goals raises questions about the offensive efficiency of the Marseille team. Beyond his personal case, fans are wondering which player will really be able to score for OM in European competitions.
Despite the difficulties, the team showed moments of quality, notably thanks to the combinations between Amine, Harit and Gouiri. Paixão has also shown that he can be more inspired when well supported, but he still needs to prove that he can convert the chances created. Coaches will have to think about solutions to improve OM's offensive productivity, especially in view of the next European meetings.
In the future, OM will have to rely on their other attackers to compensate for Paixão's loss of points. The next matches of the Europa League will be decisive in determining whether the club can rely on its new recruits or whether it must review its offensive strategy. Supporters expect to see a rapid improvement in Paixão's performance, in order to support the team in its European ambitions.