Two Americans Headline a Crucial Ligue 1 Showdown
Sunday's clash between Marseille and Lyon at the Vélodrome carries enormous stakes, and two Americans will be right in the middle of it. Tim Weah and Tanner Tessmann, both USMNT midfielders hoping to make their mark ahead of this summer's World Cup, find themselves on opposite sides of one of French football's most heated rivalries.
The match has significant implications for the Champions League. Lyon sits third in Ligue 1 with 45 points, five clear of fourth-place Marseille, and in France, only the top three sides earn automatic qualification for the Champions League group phase. After an extraordinary run of 13 consecutive wins across all competitions, Lyon stumbled last weekend with a 3-1 defeat in Strasbourg, but Paulo Fonseca's side remains firmly in control of its destiny. Tessmann has been a consistent contributor throughout that winning run, starting 18 league matches and earning strong ratings across Lyon's recent victories over Lille, Metz, and Nantes.
Marseille, meanwhile, is in crisis. Roberto De Zerbi's tenure ended following a humiliating 5-0 defeat to PSG on February 8, and new manager Habib Beye's debut last weekend produced a 2-0 loss at Brest. The club has managed just eight points from seven league games in 2026, leaving them in genuine danger of missing out on Champions League football—a financially damaging prospect. Weah has remained one of Marseille's brighter performers amid the turbulence, contributing two goals and two assists in the league this season and posting strong individual ratings even in difficult defeats.
For both players, Sunday represents a chance to shine on a big stage. Tessmann will look to help Lyon extend their advantage, while Weah needs a standout performance to help jolt his club back to life and remind Pochettino of what he can offer this summer.
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