Marseille and Rennes have been the subject of much controversy in recent weeks as they compete for a place in the UEFA Champions League.
In their most recent match on October 19th, the two sides played out a tense encounter that saw Marseille take the lead before Rennes equalized just moments later. However, it was only after the final whistle had sounded that the game's outcome was thrown into doubt.
It was during the second half that a controversial incident occurred when Marseille midfielder Florian Thauvin appeared to handle the ball in the penalty area. The referee, however, ruled that the play was not within the laws of the game and awarded a free kick to Rennes.
The French side capitalized on this opportunity, with substitute striker Damián Martínez converting from the spot to give them the lead. It was then that things took a turn for the worse for Marseille, as their captain and top scorer Dimitri Payet received a straight red card for dissenting against the decision.
Despite this setback, Marseille fought back valiantly and managed to level the scores late on through a strike from Edinson Cavani. However, the hosts were denied a decisive winner in the dying minutes when referee Jérôme Boateng awarded a corner-kick to Rennes instead of conceding a penalty kick.
The result has left both sides in the hunt for a place in the Champions League but with their title aspirations now hanging in the balance. With so many important games still to come, it will be interesting to see how the teams fare in their upcoming fixtures.