Marseille head coach Andre Villas-Boas announced the club’s second-place behind Paris Saint-Germain after the Ligue 1 season was cut up due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Portuguese boss Villas-Boas wrote via Instagram: “France runners-up! What to say? Which words to pick from? Where to start? What an amazing feat!
“It’s too simple to describe this season of greatness and outstanding moments…This state of mind is experienced everyday in communion with others. The issue of the other is my problem. It was like that every step of the way.”
Villas-Boas devoted the award to the former president of Marseille, Pape Diouf, who died in March at the age of 68 after contracting Covid-19: “I would like to finish by dedicating this second place to Pape Diouf, the former Marseille president.”
These words followed a long list of people that he thanked:
“Thank you all without exception. To my genius and unbeatable players who gave all in every game with a huge commitment and selflessness.
“To Frank McCourt and Jacques Henri-Eyraud. To Andoni Zubizarreta and Albert Valentin who took me to this beautiful city of Marseille and helped me to know the power of the Velodrome and its people’s unique passion.”
Before the season was delayed through 28 games in March, Marseille was 12 points behind PSG – enough to guarantee a runners-up position and Champions League place.
PSG have been crowned champions, after the final rankings reported by the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) for the 2019-20 season were determined on a points-per-game basis.
