First defeat for Marseille. The Marseille club lost Friday evening at the Roazhon Park against Rennes (1-0), for the opening of the 2025-2026 Ligue 1 season. RMC Sportthis underperformance caused a real thunderstorm in the locker room, where the pressure of the first match and the frustration of a disappointing performance raised the tension.
The atmosphere was particularly electric, with players visibly angry after having evolved eleven against ten and missed the opportunity to confirm the promises displayed during the offseason. The words were sometimes hard.
Roberto de Zerbi set the tone at the end of the match. But beyond the Italian coach, several leaders of the locker room took the floor to express their dissatisfaction. Geronimo Rulli, Léo Balerdi and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg did not hesitate to raise his voice, in Spanish, English or French: “We are not allowed to make this match”,, “You have to move”,, “We do not respect what we have built”reports the media.
Rowe and Rabiot clash
The most tense episode involved Jonathan Rowe and Adrien Rabiot. The English winger, targeted by criticism, replied in English that he refused to be accused of lacking efforts. Several sources ensure RMC That the two players confronted themselves verbally, without the situation degenerate physically.
This altercation could have an impact on the future of Rowe, often presented as the player most likely to leave the club before the end of the transfer window. On Saturday, the Olympian group tried to put these tensions into perspective. The continuation will say if these muscular exchanges will serve as a click or if they announce a more complicated start to the season. The answer will arrive next weekend at the Vélodrome against the promoted Paris FC.
