Olympique de Marseille: after De Zerbi, Medhi Benatia announces his departure… The club no longer has a sporting direction. A new internal shock has hit Olympique de Marseille. The day after a frustrating 2–2 draw against Strasbourg, Medhi Benatia made his resignation from his position as sporting director official. The announcement came directly through a long message addressed to supporters, confirming a break with the leadership in a tense climate.
Having arrived with the ambition of reviving the sporting project, the former defender said he acted “with his heart” to restore the club to its rightful level. “Supporters, people of Marseille — since my arrival at the club, I have always acted with my heart and with one single obsession: to give Olympique de Marseille the place it deserves. I know this club, I know what it demands and the passion that drives it. Today, we are still in the race.”
Sporting Project Ongoing Despite Leadership Crisis
“The objective of qualifying for the Champions League is clearly within our reach and we are still in contention to bring the French Cup home. Despite recent setbacks and some cruel scenarios, from a sporting point of view the project is moving forward, but I cannot ignore the current climate. I feel growing dissatisfaction and a rupture that I deeply regret. In Marseille, results are the only true judge.”
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Benatia also clarified that his resignation had been submitted several days earlier. “You know my honesty and transparency; therefore, given the tensions around the leadership, I have indeed submitted — not merely proposed — my resignation, because in my view the club must always come before individuals, and I do not want my presence to become an obstacle or a burden to the organization and its development. After long reflection, I took responsibility and decided, on Monday February 9, to end my collaboration with OM. I leave feeling I gave my professional best, but with regret that I did not succeed in calming the environment around the group, which I believe fully has the capacity to reach its objectives.”
He concluded by urging fans to keep supporting the team and staff through the end of the season, adding that Marseille is and will always remain unique, and that he will explain his decision in more detail at the appropriate time.
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