Olympique de Marseille loses 2-1 to Atlético Madrid in pre-season finale

Olympique de Marseille concluded their summer preparation with a 2-1 defeat against Atlético Madrid at the Vélodrome. Despite the loss, Igor Paixão opened the scoring for Marseille with a lobbed shot in the 22nd minute. However, individual errors led to Atlético's comeback, with goals from Mendoza and Martin securing the win for the Spanish side.

The match was overshadowed by intense criticism directed at defender Leonardo Balerdi. Following errors that contributed to both goals conceded, Balerdi was heavily whistled by the home supporters upon his substitution in the 82nd minute.

Coach Bruno Genesio and teammate Amine Harit have publicly defended Balerdi, citing his professionalism and training commitment. Despite the internal support, the defender remains a subject of transfer speculation, with reports suggesting interest from clubs like Bologna and Bayer Leverkusen.