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In a press conference in preparation for Sunday’s match against Strasbourg, Igor Tudor explained Vytinha’s lack of playing time.
After receiving a double knockout against Paris Saint-Germain in Ligue 1 and then Annecy in the Coupe de France, OM recovered nicely last weekend by defeating a strong team from Rennes. A machine restart victory which allowed Marseillais to pull off a very good run of the weekend by holding out their rivals. With Sunday’s match against Strasbourg looming, which should allow the Olympians to confirm their return to form, Igor Tudor appeared before the press. He took the opportunity to explain the lack of playing time to the Portuguese striker Vitina, who recruited him during the winter transfer window. But not only, selected excerpts.
Validate goals with a growing group
To start, Igor Tudor provided a feedback update among the Marseille group: “Cengiz Under has a fever, we’ll see how it develops. Samuel Gigot is back.” Does the return of the central defender mean that he will line up on Sunday? “He was out for a while. I have a lot of good defenders and I try to pick the best out of them.”
Speaking of form, the Croatian coach is happy with his players’ physical recovery but tells them to move forward: “I think we managed physically when we were in the European Cup. But we will have to go all the way to achieve our goals at the end of the season.” Therefore, it will be necessary to regain solidity in the Vélodrome where recent performances have faltered: “Playing in OM is something special, it can burden players. But a player should always give his best when he plays football.”
Among those who always give the maximum, we find the Chilean Alexis Sanchez: “There has been a lot of talk about Sanchez this season. He is a perfect example of the group, he always arrives 3 hours before training starts and always wants to win.” Even pushing his teammates, like Sead Kolašinac in steady progression: “He feels good in this system. I can only give him 10/10, he is a great professional. He has come a long way.”
Vitinha case and the player’s involvement
Asked again about Vitinha’s lack of playing time and the potential link-up between the Portuguese and Alexis Sanchez at the forefront of attack, Igor Tudor wanted to clear things up: “There is only one reason [à la situation actuelle], I choose the solution that allows us to win. It’s my choice, it may not be the best, but it’s optional. I take several things into consideration: offense, defense and team balance. »
Before specifying that he expects better participation from his group and some players: “Everyone has to lend a hand to the team. Every player has to respect his salary. In two and a half months, we’ll take stock at the end of the season. But for now, we have to focus on the last matches.”
