Marseille crash to Ligue 1 defeat against Nantes

Marseille kickstarted the year by crashing to a 2-0 home defeat to lowly Nantes in Ligue 1 as Roberto De Zerbi’s team finished with just nine men on the pitch.

Red cards either side of half-time for Arthur Vermeeren and Bilal Nadir, coupled with a Fabien Centonze strike and a late Remy Cabella penalty, condemned Marseille to a fifth defeat of the campaign as they remain eight points behind surprise league leaders Lens.

Crucially, the loss was also a missed opportunity for third-placed Marseille to open up a gap with the chasing pack for the final automatic Champions League qualification spot as they failed to capitalise on fourth-placed Lille’s 2-0 defeat to Rennes on Saturday.

Just a third victory of the season for Nantes, Ahmed Kantari’s team have provisionally climbed out of the relegation zone at the expense of Auxerre, who play later.

“It gives us a boost,” Nantes coach Kantari said.

“There’s the satisfaction of taking three points. We’re in a race for points, so it feels good.

“When we win, we feel lighter and more confident.”

Marseille handed Nantes the numerical advantage on 26 minutes as midfielder Vermeeren was dismissed for an overexuberant challenge on Anthony Lopes as he tried to charge down the goalkeeper’s clearance.

The visitors then took the lead five minutes later as Centonze pounced on weak parry by Geronimo Rulli to open the scoring from close range.

De Zerbi responded immediately by sending centre-midfielder Nadir on in the place of forward Igor Paixao.

The decision did not pay off as the 22-year-old was himself dismissed after collecting a pair of yellow cards in the space of two minutes early in the second half.

Despite being down to nine, Marseille pushed in search of a leveller at the Velodrome as Nantes continued to make chances at the other end.

A clumsy Benjamin Pavard challenge on Matthis Abline in the Marseille box presented Nantes with the perfect chance to secure the three points, which Cabella duly did from 12 yards with just two minutes remaining on the clock.