For the first time in six years, Marseille is in the quarter-finals of a continental competition after Rudi Garcia's charges handily dismissed Athletic Bilbao 2-1 in the Europa League last 16.
Dimitri Payet and Lucas Ocampos scored on either side of the interval during Thursday's second leg at the San Mames Stadium, ousting the Basque outfit 5-2 on aggregate after winning the opening clash 3-1 at the Stade Velodrome a week ago.
Inaki Williams scored for the host in the 74th minute when a calamitous clearance from Adil Rami fell to the one-time capped Spain international, who narrowly beat Marseille shot-stopper Steve Mandanda to the ball. Talismanic striker Aritz Aduriz picked up a second yellow card moments later, cementing a result that was hardly in question.
Goal Dimitri Payet (0-1) Athletic Bilbao Vs Marsella pic.twitter.com/fAD1EjSy67
— Federico (@FedeD10ss) March 15, 2018
With his first-half goal from the spot, Payet has extended an outstanding Europa League run. The former West Ham dead-ball specialist has now been involved in 14 goals in his last 17 matches in Europe, pairing five tallies and nine assists for the Cote d'Azur giant.
Marseille - who was eliminated from the Europa League in the round of 32 two years ago at the hands of Bilbao - hasn't progressed this far on the continent since losing to Bayern Munich in the 2011-12 Champions League last 16.
Olympique will now await Friday's draw hoping to capture a first European trophy since winning the 1992-93 Champions League title. Marseille has twice before reached the finals of Europe's second-tier tourney, losing out in 1998-99 to Parma, and again in 2003-04 to Valencia.
