Valentin Rongier, the mainstay of Igor Tudor’s system at Marseille, has put in a string of high-quality performances since the start of the season. The midfielder was praised by his coach on Friday.
Arrived in Marseille in 2019, Valentin Rongier has climbed the ladder over the years. And for his fourth season in the Phocaean city, the midfielder definitely asserts himself as a stalwart at OM. Since the beginning of the season, the 27-year-old midfielder has started all seven games played by Olympique de Marseille and has only left the field twice. Indispensable last season in a hybrid role of fullback-midfielder under Jorge Sampaoli, the former Nantes player has returned to a more traditional position in midfield with Igor Tudor who, like his predecessor, has made him a basic man in his system.
I. Tudor – “a fantastic player
Present this Friday in a press conference, the Marseille coach did not hide his admiration for his tireless midfielder. “Rongier gives me everything. He is intelligent, he has the race. He is underestimated by the media and the public, it is really a fantastic player”, judged the Croatian. His teammate Jonathan Clauss agrees: “He is a strong element of the team. He doesn’t shy away from making the effort. We know we can project because he does the shadow work on the covers.”
On Saturday, Marseille will have to deal without Rongier against Lille. Suspended, the former U-21 international will not be able to play with his partners for the first time this season. Without giving the identity of the one who will replace him, Tudor announced that there would be changes in the starting XI to face LOSC, three days before the second Champions League meeting against Eintracht Frankfurt.
A possible future with the Blues?
This suspension will be the opportunity for Rongier to breathe before putting on the blue of heating again. Thinking about… a blue shirt? For Daniel Riolo, who appreciated his performance against Tottenham (0-2) on Wednesday, the Olympian would not stain in the French team, as he explained on RMC. “Deschamps likes guys who play the Champions League, Rongier is playing it. If he makes the six games of the Champions League at this level, sorry, but we will have the right to ask the question anyway. Today, are you sure that Rabiot is better than Rongier?” The debate is open.
