Jean Louis Gasset: How Sacked Ivory Coast Boss Performed in His First Game As Marseille Coach

Jean-Louis Gasset made his managerial debut for Olympique Marseille in the UEFA Europa League clash against Shakhtar Donetsk on Thursday, February 22.

The French coach assumed leadership of the Stade Velodrome team after the dismissal of former Italian midfielder Gennaro Gattuso.

Marseille currently occupies the ninth position in Ligue 1, trailing six points behind the European qualification spots.

Gattuso was dismissed from his managerial role after securing just nine wins out of 24 games in charge of Les Olympiens.

Gasset, the newly appointed manager, also experienced recent coaching turmoil as well.

During the recent 2023 TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations, the 70-year-old was sacked by Ivory Coast midway through the tournament.

This decision came after The Elephants suffered a humiliating 4-0 defeat against underdog Equatorial Guinea.

His sack saw assistant manager Emerse Fae guide the AFCON hosts to their third continental title in a remarkable turnaround.

Away from his debacle at the AFCON, the Montpellier-born tactician's debut as Marseille manager didn't offer the gentle introduction he might have hoped for, plunging him straight into a crucial European encounter where a victory was imperative for progression in the continent's secondary tournament.

However, the start was less than ideal as Georgiy Sudakov converted from the penalty spot, capitalising on Jonathan Clauss's foul in the box. Nevertheless, Marseille persisted in their pursuit of an equaliser.

Their perseverance paid off when Gabonese striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang found the net, extending his impressive record to six goals in as many Europa League appearances this season.

Aubameyang's goal not only levelled the score but also elevated him to the position of top scorer in the competition's history, Eurofoot reports.

Despite fervent efforts from both sides, the score remained unchanged after Auba's strike.

In the second half, Gasset made two rapid substitutions after the hour mark, altering the dynamics of the game in favour of his team.

Initially, substitute Ismaila Sarr, a Senegalese winger, linked up with Aubameyang to seal the comeback in the 74th minute.

This was followed by France-born Central African Republic midfielder Geoffrey Kondogbia, who embellished the scoreline, settling the match as a one-sided affair seven minutes later.

With this result, Marseille stands as the lone French representative left in the competition, having secured a 5-3 aggregate victory over Shakhtar, as cited by Barrons.

Sports Brief also reported that newly installed Marseille manager Jean-Louis Gasset did not receive a medal despite Ivory Coast's victory in the 2023 AFCON.

Gasset began the tournament as the coach of the Elephants but was dismissed after the initial stage when Ivory Coast was on the brink of elimination.

The Ivorian FA decided to part ways with Gasset following a humiliating 4-0 defeat to Equatorial Guinea in the final Group A match.