The current Ligue 1 table-toppers led Grenoble three times across 120 minutes but suffered defeat on penalties, leaving the head coach and captain Andre Ayew furiousMarseille coach Marcelo Bielsa blasted his team’s Coupe de France embarrassing elimination to fourth-tier Grenoble as “unjustifiable”.
Bielsa’s men led twice in regulation away to Grenoble, while the visitors also hit the front in extra-time, before the underdogs equalised in the 120th minute to force a penalty shoot-out.
Grenoble went on to win 5-4 in the shootout with Paul Cattier tipping Florian Thauvin’s spot-kick over the bar.
While Grenoble’s speed and tenacity pulled Marseille’s defence apart on numerous occasions – the home side had 10 shots in the tie – Bielsa was baffled by the outcome in their first game of 2015.
“This is not a game to analyse. Defeat is unjustifiable,” the Argentinian said. “Any explanation will not prevent us from being responsible. It makes no sense to review the game.
“Merit is one of the parts of the game. There is no way to explain a defeat like this.
“The blame is on me because of the way we played. The differences between the two teams were very large. I coach the team that had all the advantages. The fact we did not win gives me more responsibility than my players.”
Marseille captain Andre Ayew, who scored the visitors’ extra-time goal before Selim Bengriba bobbed up in the dying moments minute to head home Grenoble’s third equaliser, was also furious with his team’s performance.
“We have not done enough. This is unacceptable, unacceptable,” he said. “We had the lead three times. But we must now focus on the championship.”
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