At the Vélodrome, OM won a narrow 4-3 victory against Le Havre, thanks in particular to the performance of Himad Abdelli, who continued to impose himself in midfield. The 26-year-old, number 10 in the team, contributed on several occasions, notably creating the opportunity for Igor Paixão's goal, and showed good control of the ball as well as appreciable off-the-ball activity. His presence allowed OM to keep the lead, even if the meeting was difficult to consolidate.
Despite these positive results, Abdelli is not yet unanimously recognized as an essential starter. After several encouraging appearances, he tried to convince observers of his ability to establish himself sustainably in Marseille. However, some commentators remain skeptical about his level of play. On RMC Sport, Daniel Riolo joked that the player had just had two good matches and that he perhaps saw himself as a candidate for the Ballon d'Or next year, a remark which contrasts with the praise that some have expressed. Riolo also noted that “Abdelli is good against smaller teams,” an observation that suggests his impact could diminish against stronger opponents.
Antoine Wargnier, another RMC Sport journalist, shared a similar point of view. He stressed that OM has essentially ensured its maintenance, and that players like Aguerd and Gouiri are good elements, but that Abdelli remains “good against small teams”. This review highlights the question of whether the midfielder can hold his own against the most demanding teams in Ligue 1.
For Abdelli, the next step is to prove that his good performances are not limited to confrontations against lower ranked teams. The Marseille club is preparing to face Toulouse on the ninth day of Ligue 1, with a match scheduled for 8:45 p.m. at the Vélodrome. This duel will be an opportunity for OM to test the cohesion of its squad and for Abdelli to demonstrate its value in a more demanding context. Marseille fans are eagerly waiting to see if the midfielder can consolidate his role and contribute to a home victory against the Blagnac.