Despite Marseille’s title challenge wavering in recent weeks, their first game of 2026 provided a great opportunity to kickstart another strong run.
However, it was their opponents who started the brighter, and they had the ball in the back of the net via Youssef El Arabi, but VAR spared Geronimo Rulli’s blushes after a terrible mistake on the line.
The early scare kick-started the home side into life, as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang squandered a great headed opportunity not long after.
That did little to ward off Nantes, who nearly caught out Rulli again - this time with a looping free-kick effort which hit the bar - before a scramble in the box in the aftermath nearly led to an opener.
The early action didn’t stop there, though, and midfielder Arthur Vermeeren was dismissed for a late tackle on Nantes’ goalkeeper, with his eagerness to press high leading to the red card.
With the home side down to 10 men, the match felt like Nantes’ for the taking, and with 31 minutes on the clock, Fabien Centonze was in the right place to tap home the opener for the away side, after an effort was parried by Rulli.
In turn, tensions were high heading into the second, with a restless home crowd as Marseille dominated proceedings.
However, Marseille’s over-eagerness in the tackle caught them out again as they suffered another sending off. First-half substitute Bilal Nadir was sent off for a second yellow card offence.
Both sides then traded opportunities throughout the remainder of play, before Nantes were awarded a penalty late on, after a clumsy challenge from Benjamin Pavard, which was dispatched powerfully by Remy Cabella.
Nantes’ stunning victory moved them within a point of 17th place, and though a cup tie will provide something of a distraction from what remains set to be an intense relegation battle, their real focus will be on a potential six-pointer against Paris FC.
As for Marseille, it’s a second defeat in three games - but there’s no time to feel sorry for themselves, as a crazy run of seven games in 27 days awaits, beginning with the French Super Cup final against PSG during the week.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Fabien Centonze (Nantes)