As the Champions League final approaches, the City of Marseille finds itself in a particularly embarrassing situation. Historically opposed to Paris Saint-Germain due to a sports and identity rivalry anchored for decades, the Marseille city now sees several of its largest local legends taking a position in favor of the Parisian club. Basile Boli, author of the legendary goal in 1993 during the European coronation of OM, Zinedine Zidane, Marseille icon although having built his career away from the Canebière, and Didier Deschamps, captain of the famous victorious team, have all publicly supported PSG against Inter Milan. This unexpected rallying to the sworn enemy makes teeth cringe in a city where the memory of the 1993 victory remains an absolute source of pride.
This support deeply embarrasses Marseille supporters, already faced with a season without European competition their club, and now witnesses of a possible European coronation for Paris, which would erase the uniqueness of the OM trophy. Far from being harmless, this position of the emblematic figures creates tangible discomfort in the city. Social networks ignite, debates swell in bars and streets, and some even speak of symbolic betrayal. For many, supporting Paris amounts to diluting Marseille identity in that of its hated rival. The final then becomes much more than a simple match: it is a fracture moment for a city that was forever thought of the only one to have engraved its name at the top of French European football.
Benatia present in Munich
The newspaper Provence Then details the subject's sensitivity to OM for several weeks. Faced with the bustle caused by the support of several Marseilles legends at PSG, Pablo Longoria, president of Olympique de Marseille, and Roberto de Zerbi, club coach, chose a much more prudent – or even humorous posture. Aware of the extreme sensitivity of the subject in Marseille, the two men carefully avoided any public statement on the final of the Champions League between Paris and Inter Milan. Longoria, usually talkative on the major news of European football, was satisfied with vague statements, even though he is in Munich for the ECA meeting, without ever talking about PSG. From Zerbi, he elected any direct question during his press conference, preferring to speak of a sports project and the identity of play, rather than national rivalries.
In the same spirit of restraint, Medhi Benatia should be present at the Allianz Arena to attend the final, as a personal Imi of Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, president of PSG. A private approach which he carefully detached from any public position in favor of the Parisian club. Asked about the subject, Benatia kicked out in touch, saying that he would like OM to always remain the only victorious French club in C1. A declaration intended to calm the spirits, in a context where any gesture, even harmless, is scrutinized in Marseille through the prism of rivalry with Paris. This diplomatic silence of the Marseille management contrasts strongly with the passionate declarations of certain historical figures, and testifies to a delicate balance between institutional respect and loyalty to local popular feeling.
