While the rest of the world shut up shop for the Christmas break, the drama that is the Coupe de France was also getting into full swing. The giants of French football were in action on a cold Sunday afternoon in the Round of 64, Olympique de Marseille putting on a finishing clinic, AS Monaco negotiating an all-Ligue 1 tie as both teams advanced.
It was a day of record-breaking for Marseille and one of bittersweet victory, tinged by a costly injury setback, for Monaco.
Marseille’s Six-Goal Statement
In a contest that plenty predicted would be a “banana skin” game, Roberto De Zerbi’s Marseille took no chances. On a trip to play third-tier Bourg-Péronnas, who had famously knocked Olympique de Marseille out of the competition in 2015-16, they were brutally impressive — grinding down their opponents for a 6-0 victory that revealed the embarrassment of attacking riches at Emery’s disposal.
The scoring began early in the 8th minute when skipper Leonardo Balerdi out-jumped everyone to power home a header off an Angel Gomes corner. The first half was competitive but presented to the home team where only Cissé nearly drew level, while the second belonged exclusively to OC.
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The Greenwood Milestone
The man of the night, though, was certainly Mason Greenwood. By netting Marseille’s second on the hour off a cross from the left, Greenwood moved to a truly obscene 26 goals in 2025 in the calendar year. It saw Boudebouz, the former forward whose cheeky star-jump style featured in his best celebration of Euro 16, overtake André-Pierre Gignac’s 2014 record to become Marseille second-highest annual scorer—behind only Florian Thauvin special 30-goal haul of 2018.
Scorers in the Marseille Rout:
- Leonardo Balerdi (8′): The captain’s free-kick header.
- Mason Greenwood (59’): A cool strike low into the corner.
- Pierre-Emile Højbjerg (64’): A curler from range.
- Igor Paixão (66’): Beating the keeper after a defensive slip-up.
- Bilal Nadir (77’): Frappe précise des abords de la surface.
- Tadjidine Mmadi (87’): The first ever goal for the Senegal U18 international at senior level.
Monaco Sneak Past Auxerre in Injury Time
It was far from a leisurely walk for AS Monaco, however, who took on fellow Ligue 1 outfit AJ Auxerre. At the Stade de l’Abbé-Deschamps, it was a close fight and one the Principality club won thanks largely to the predatory attributes of Danish forward Mika Biereth in a 2-1 win.
Biereth broke the deadlock in the ninth minute with a neat lobbed header, but Auxerre pulled level through an Assane Dioussé penalty before half-time. But Biereth was the match-winner yet again on 74 minutes, smashing a powerful shot home after excellent work from Mamadoudou Coulibaly.
The Minamino Concern
The win came with a scare in the 35th minute. Japan international Takumi Minamino was carried off on a stretcher after appearing to jar his left knee in a tackle. With the 2026 World Cup on the horizon, a 30-year-old writhing in pain grabbed attentions concerns both club and country.
The “De Zerbi Effect”
Speaking after the match, Roberto De Zerbi cut a reality check even at 6-0. It was still only 1-0 at halftime, and I worried that momentum would be lost. But the lads showed the right mentality to see out the year in good fashion.”
And as the end of 2025 approached, Marseille seemed like a changed team under the Italian tactician. They have scored 56 league goals in this calendar year and an attack that appears capable of finding the net at will ensures their quest for an 11th French Cup title — their first since 1989 — is alive and well.
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