OM’s return to the Vélodrome on Sunday at 17:30 for the pre-season meeting with Athletic Bilbao is shaping up to be a healthy occasion, even if it will not approach a full house. Around 40,000 tickets had already been sold, with the club hopeful of reaching 45,000 before kick-off.
That would still mark a solid turnout for a summer fixture in the middle of pre-season, especially given the recent backdrop. Last season’s chaotic campaign and a summer trimmed by numerous departures had already weighed on attendances for the early dates, so the interest in Marseille Vs Athletic suggests there is still appetite around OM as the new season begins to take shape.
A useful gauge for OM's summer
The first of OM’s two August 2025 friendlies against Sevilla had already drawn close to 60,000, so Sunday’s crowd will not match that level. But with a second home date due inside the next two weeks, against Atlético de Madrid and then RC Strasbourg, the Vélodrome will be asked to stay engaged as the club builds towards the new campaign.
For Bruno Genesio, the bigger point is not simply the attendance figure but the football question attached to it: who starts, and how strong should the line-up be? The coach is expected to name a robust starting XI, while also making clear that he does not favour the idea of talking up a settled first-choice XI at this stage.
Who could start against Athletic Bilbao?
That makes Sunday an early test of balance rather than a simple exhibition. OM want rhythm, fitness and shape, but they also want the Vélodrome to feel invested again after a stop-start summer.
Bilbao arrive without having added any new signings to date, which adds another layer to the fixture. Even in pre-season, it offers OM a chance to measure themselves against a recognisable opponent while giving supporters a first proper look at the group that Genesio is trying to settle.
The attendance target may not be the headline number every supporter wanted, but 40,000 sold already gives OM a platform. If the figure climbs towards 45,000, the evening will look more like a proper home occasion than a routine friendly, and that matters for a club trying to reset after an uneasy summer.
