Director of football at Olympique de Marseille since January 2025, Medhi Benatia has seen his work start to bear fruit. A complete workforce, a renowned coach, a qualification in the Champions League … The former Juventus player is almost unanimous in the south of France.
However, the context of his arrival in November 2023 was not necessarily ideal. The Marseille club came out of a huge imbroglio around Marcelino, Spanish coach who had left OM after less than three months on the bench. All of this might have never happened. In an interview with CORRIERE DELLO SPORTBenatia says that she first set his sights on Paolo Fonseca (currently at OL) to the detriment of Roberto de Zerbi.
“We had considered Fonseca. Everything was settled, there was an agreement, then in May 2024, after our defeat in Bergamo against Atalanta, he called us to tell us that nothing happened ”he explains. The former Brighton coach was then the third choice. “At that time, we opted for
(Sergio) Conceiçao, but when we learned that there was a possibility of taking Zerbi, we said to Pablo Longoria, our president: “Damn … let's try! »Encouraged by the owner McCourt, we have gone to the attack”details OM sports director.
From Zerbi to “Something Guardiola”
This competition of circumstances nevertheless delights Medhi Benatia. The Moroccan even declares his flame to the Italian coach, very happy to count him in his ranks. When the journalist of
CORRIERE DELLO SPORT questions him about Zerbi, he answers. “He is beautiful and inspiring, he lives for football like me. He has an overflowing passion, you have to see how he prepares the matches. He has something from Guardiola in him, but believe me, he is a single coach. He breathes football and life. In this order ”.
Some will see in these few words a real declaration of love. Rather, he envisages his association with Italian as a fusional working relationship. “We chat until two in the morning, often in videoconference, because the coach wants to see things face to face. At any time. »»
What are going to compete with PSG in Ligue 1 and win the title of champion of France? Nothing is less certain. “We are talking about a team that spent a billion euros, do you realize it?” You have to work hard, and still hard, to be ready in the event of a misstep. Look: if it were to happen, OM would win, it's the mission ”adds the sports director. The message has passed.
