Olympique de Marseille is going through a new period of tension after the draw against Nice (1-1) on Sunday. A poor performance which prolongs the negative series, a few days after the defeat in Lorient (0-2), already a source of strong internal tensions.
If the communication has remained more discreet this time, the annoyance is still very present behind the scenes. Football director Medhi Benatia, particularly upset after the setback in Lorient, did not react publicly, without this really easing tensions within the club.
On the ground, frustration was also expressed. The staff, led by Habib Beye, notably criticized a loss of ball before the penalty conceded against Nice, involving Himad Abdelli in a sequence deemed avoidable. Already criticized since his arrival for irregular performance, the midfielder is increasingly exposed.
“You are not my father”
According to Foot Mercato, the tension would even have increased a notch in the locker room. In question, a muscular intervention by Habib Beye targeting the entrants, including Abdelli, who would have reacted strongly:
“You don’t talk to me like that, you’re not my father, it’s not just me who came in”. An altercation which required the intervention of several executives to calm the situation.
In an electric climate, these exchanges illustrate an OM under pressure, now left behind in the race for European places and forced to manage growing frustration internally. The Phocéens find themselves sixth, four points behind fourth position occupied by LOSC, with three games remaining to avoid falling in the ranking.
