Nantes thrash Marseille 3-0 to deepen crisis for Habib Beye's side

Key facts

• Nantes beat Marseille 3-0 at home on May 2, 2026.
• Matthis Abline scored one goal and assisted two others.
• Ignatius Ganago and Rémy Cabella also scored for Nantes.
• Marseille have won only one of their last six Ligue 1 matches.
• Marseille are sixth with 53 points, four points behind Lille in fourth.
• Nantes moved to within two points of the relegation play-off place (16th).
• Marseille were without Gerónimo Rulli, Benjamin Pavard, and Timothy Weah.
• Nantes scored three goals in eight second-half minutes.

A subdued stadium witnesses a rout

With the away section empty and parts of the Nantes support staging a silent protest for the opening half-hour, a subdued atmosphere provided an uncomfortable backdrop for a meeting between two out-of-form sides. The tension was palpable as both teams struggled to find rhythm early on. Nantes, however, gradually took control.

First-half frustration gives way to a second-half explosion

Les Canaris had the better of the first half, with Deiver Machado particularly dangerous down the left flank. A big blow came when the Colombian full-back was forced off injured, and it was not until the 33rd minute that the first shot on target arrived. Nantes had it, but Marseille goalkeeper Jeffrey de Lange was equal to Rémy Cabella’s effort after a feed from Matthis Abline. A dangerous Nantes breakaway saw de Lange called into action again moments later, making a fine save to keep out Mohamed Kaba and ensure honours remained even at half-time. Given that the hosts had netted a league-low ten second-half goals this season, their chances of maintaining that dominance appeared slim. However, they rattled in three goals in the space of eight minutes before the hour to comprehensively seal just their third home league victory of the campaign.

Abline orchestrates a stunning eight-minute blitz

The barrage started when Ignatius Ganago swept home from Abline’s cutback. Then the striker turned provider to pick out Cabella, who scored against his former club for the second time this season. The shell-shocked visitors were still licking their wounds when Abline produced a moment of outstanding quality, cutting in from the right and dribbling between Facundo Medina and Leonardo Balerdi before rifling home just his sixth Ligue 1 goal of the season. The performance earned Abline the Flashscore Man of the Match award.

Marseille's Champions League hopes hang by a thread

Marseille’s response was muted to say the least. A fifth failure to win from their last six league outings leaves them sixth in the table with 53 points, four points behind Lille OSC in fourth, which occupies the UEFA Champions League qualifiers spot. With only three games remaining, the gap to fourth place is now six points effectively, given goal difference. The defeat also leaves them vulnerable to being replaced in the top six by Monaco later in the weekend.

Beye's tactical reshuffle fails to stem the tide

Marseille coach Habib Beye was forced into changes. Gerónimo Rulli did not travel, meaning Jeffrey de Lange started for the first time since the 5-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain. Benjamin Pavard and Timothy Weah were suspended. To mitigate those absences, Beye reverted to a back four with Leonardo Balerdi as the right-sided centre-back and Tochukwu Nnadi moving from midfield to right-back. Mason Greenwood returned to the starting line-up after being benched for last weekend’s 1-1 draw with OGC Nice, but the changes failed to produce a positive result.

Nantes breathe life into survival bid

For Nantes, the victory was their first under Vahid Halilhodžić in his second spell in charge and moves them to within two points of the relegation play-off place (16th). The win also secured a first head-to-head double over Marseille since the 2018/19 season. With the relegation play-off spot now within reach, Les Canaris have given themselves a fighting chance to avoid the drop.

What lies ahead for both sides

Marseille have three games to rescue their season and qualify for the Champions League, but the margin for error has evaporated. Nantes, buoyed by this performance, will look to build on their first home win over Marseille in nearly eight years. The contrasting trajectories of these two historic clubs underscore the volatility of Ligue 1, where form can shift dramatically within a single match.

The bottom line

• Nantes' 3-0 win over Marseille was their first home victory in this fixture since December 2018.
• Matthis Abline was the standout performer, scoring one and assisting two in an eight-minute second-half spell.
• Marseille have now won only one of their last six Ligue 1 matches, severely denting their Champions League qualification hopes.
• Nantes moved to within two points of the relegation play-off place, giving them a realistic chance of avoiding the drop.
• Marseille's injury and suspension issues exposed defensive frailties that Beye's tactical adjustments could not fix.