Marseille has once again asserted its dominance in French water polo, capturing a record-extending 42nd national championship title—and its fifth consecutive crown—with a commanding 13–5 victory over Pays d’Aix in Game 2 of the French League playoff finals.
The reigning champions wrapped up the best-of-three series with a 2–0 sweep, adding another domestic title to their growing collection and building momentum ahead of their highly anticipated debut at the Champions League Final Four.
Ruthless from the start
Backed by a vibrant home crowd, Marseille wasted no time stamping their authority on the match. They raced to a 5–2 lead by the end of the first quarter, with Michael Bodegas converting a man-up at the start of the second to make it 6–2. Aix pulled one back before halftime, but the hosts never looked threatened.
Goals from Alexandre Bouet and Ugo Crousillat early in the third quarter extended the gap to 8–3, and from there, the title-holders never let up. Marseille dominated the closing stages, finishing the match with an emphatic 8-goal margin.
Bouet leads the charge
Alexandre Bouet was the standout player across both matches, finishing as the top scorer of the final. He netted five goals in the return leg in Marseille, adding to his three goals from Game 1 in Aix-en-Provence.
This victory also secures Marseille’s fourth consecutive domestic double, having won every French Cup title since the competition’s re-establishment in 2022.
2025 French League Playoffs – Final Series (Best-of-Three)
Match 2: Marseille 13–5 Pays d’Aix
(5:2, 1:1, 3:1, 4:1)
Series result: Marseille wins 2–0
Marseille scorers: Bouet 5, Crousillat 2, Vernoux 2, Angyal 1, Prlainovic 1, Marion-Vernoux 1, Bodegas 1
Pays d’Aix scorers: Watanabe 2, Beteille 1, Scorletti 1, Peisson 1
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