Olympique de Marseille have transfer-listed their entire squad following a violent dressing room altercation after their 1-0 defeat to Rennes on the opening day of the Ligue 1 season. The decision comes after what club president Pablo Longoria described as 'incredible violence' between players and staff, with punches reportedly thrown.
The incident, dubbed 'The Rabiot Affair' by French media, was triggered by Ludovic Blas's injury-time winner for Rennes. Midfielder Adrien Rabiot and winger Jonathan Rowe were involved in a physical confrontation, with sporting director Medhi Benatia confirming that punches were exchanged. A young player, Darryl Bakola, fainted during the melee.
Initially, Rabiot and Rowe were temporarily suspended, but on Monday the club announced that both players had been placed on the transfer list for 'unacceptable behaviour'. However, Rabiot's mother and agent, Véronique, claimed she was told the official reason was Rabiot's 'lack of commitment' since pre-season, which she called 'pathetic' and accused the club of lying.
The club's lawyer, Romuald Palao, added: 'When the club indicates that the player's behaviour has changed recently, they are lying. It's a bit of a fabricated story.' This contradicts Longoria's praise of Rabiot in a documentary released in July, where he called him 'the best person I have seen in a dressing room in my career'.
Marseille's volatile environment has been exacerbated by a series of passionate managers, including Jorge Sampaoli, Igor Tudor, Gennaro Gattuso, and current boss Roberto De Zerbi. The club's ultras have previously driven out manager Marcelino after just seven games, with death threats alleged. De Zerbi's debut season was marked by flare-ups, including a confrontation with new signing Ismaël Koné, whom he sent back to the dressing room telling him to 'call his agent'.
Despite finishing second in Ligue 1 last season, Marseille's path to success remains chaotic. The club's 'Droit au But' ('Straight to the Goal') slogan seems ironic as they continue to navigate internal conflicts and external pressures.
