New Olympique de Marseille boss Michel started his tenure with a bang as the nine-time French champions routed ESTAC Troyes 6-0 at the Stade Velodrome on Sunday.
The Spanish coach, who on Wednesday last week signed a two-year deal to succeed Marcelo Bielsa, saw his side lead 1-0 at the break, with Abdelaziz Barrada heading home in the 19th minute after Michy Batshuayi had headed against the bar.
Marseille tore into promoted ESTAC in the second period, with Lassana Diarra striking a thunderbolt from distance for 2-0 after 47 minutes.
Photo: AFP
Two became three soon after thanks to a wonderful individual goal from Belgium striker Batshuayi, who made a surging run before powering past two defenders and finishing past goalkeeper Denis Petric.
Marseille scored a brilliant fourth after 63 minutes.
The influential Romain Alessandrini crossed from the right toward Lucas Ocampos, who despatched a brilliant overhead-kick past Petric.
The impressive Batshuayi, who scored nine league goals in his debut season in Ligue 1 last year, was brought down by Petric, but Alessandrini was there to tap into an empty net for 5-0.
Batshuayi got the second goal he deserved when he converted another Alessandrini cross, with the ball appearing to come off his knee. Marseille were without a point and had yet to score in the league prior to this match, but Michel — who had been out of work since being sacked by Greek champions Olympiakos in January — appears to have provided a spark that had been lacking.
“We dreamed that this would happen and the dream came true,” Michel said. “I have to thank the players, they deserved this. I do no know how many fans were here, but it felt like 1 million.”
As for ESTAC, this result handed last season’s Ligue 2 champions a reality check as they suffered their first defeat of the season.
AS Saint-Etienne picked up their first win of the new season thanks to a late Romain Hamouma winner at Lorient.
Christophe Galtier’s side, who finished fifth last season, looked like they were going to be frustrated in Brittany, but Hamouma curled home beautifully from inside the area with three minutes to go after receiving a pass from substitute Neal Maupay.
The hosts remain without a win this season having accumulated just two points from their opening three games.
Lille OSC and Girondins de Bordeaux remain without a win so far this campaign as they canceled each other out at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy in a drab goalless draw.
Bordeaux were coming off the back of a UEFA Europa League playoff first-leg win against Kairat Almaty, but have just two points from their three Ligue 1 matches — the same total as Lille.
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