The Marseillais experienced a terrible emotional upheaval on Tuesday against Lille. After the immense joy caused by Luis Enrique’s equalizer at the end of added time, the Ciel et Blancs indeed collapsed during the penalty shootout, the Mastiffs finally having the last word thanks to two saves from Vito Mannone , the hero of the evening.
The Marseille camp was logically defeated. Medhi Benatia, recently promoted to the position of director of football, was angry. Consequence of his exclusion by Clément Turpin following the equalizing goal. The former central defender explained it in front of the microphones after the meeting.
The anger of Medhi Benatia
“Tonight, what I just experienced is serious. We score, I go to see the fourth referee (Jérémy Stinat) to tell him that there was a penalty (on Rowe). In passing, I remove my coach who is arguing with Olivier Létang. There were a lot of people there at that time, around fifteen people. Clément Turpin arrives from 50m away, he comes there and ‘bam’ red! I come back to see the fourth referee who tells me that I threatened him with my finger”he railed at the microphone of beIN Sports.
And the Marseille leader denounced real relentlessness against his person. “I know I don’t have the right to speak, I understand that very well. I don’t have the right to work, I know that very wellhe said, adding:
“When we speak, we are not listened to, it doesn’t matter. But there is a penalty there. We didn’t say anything at the time. I’m not saying anything about the penalty but I’m going to say something bad to the referee after we scored. You must be an idiot. The fourth referee said to me ‘you threatened me with your finger’. Is that a red card? There is no VAR but there is a foul. There is no VAR, I understand that. I simply said at the time of Luis Henrique’s goal: ‘tell him now that it’s over that there was a penalty’. And he tells me that I threatened him with my finger. I don’t have the right to speak… Why don’t I have the right to speak? Why are there 25 people around and when I speak, Mr. Turpin walks 50m and gives me a red face? What am I different from others? I have no right to defend my team. »
Medhi Benatia was heavily sanctioned in September
This exclusion of Medhi Benatia comes just four months after the heavy suspension (six matches including three suspended) for his charge against the refereeing at half-time of the clash against Olympique Lyonnais. “After Lyon, all the leaders of France spoke. Who was summoned? Person. I’m the only one, but I didn’t say anything. The referee had the same jersey as them, I saw everything, he said again. No one was received. Me, I took six matches for nothing. There is no insult, no threat, but it is true that it was inappropriate. »
“I’m not going to see anyone if it means taking 25 games. It’s frustrating, I just want to work. I don’t understand, did he regret again. When we don’t say anything it doesn’t work, when we say something it doesn’t work either. Maybe I should resign and find another job. What did I do to get this treatment? How can I ensure that OM is treated correctly? »
