It was expected, it is now official: Medhi Benatia is no longer President Longoria’s sports advisor but now has the title of OM football director. The news was announced this Wednesday in a press release from the Marseille club.
“ After having worked as a sports advisor since November 2023, Medhi Benatia continues the adventure in a club dear to his heart alongside the president, Pablo Longoria, at the origin of his return to OM. Fully involved with the president in the launch of the ambitious long-term sporting project and in the transfer window carried out last summer, Medhi Benatia is thus appointed director of football of the club », trumpets the Marseille communication unit.
“ Trained at OM then spent time with some of the most prestigious European clubs, including Bayern Munich and Juventus FC, the former captain of the Moroccan selection now directs the entire sporting policy of the club, from the training center to the first team. Olympique de Marseille is delighted to be able to count on the vision, experience and professionalism of its new football director », We can still read in the official OM press release.
A strict clarification before signing
Even more than the responsibilities of a sports director focused on the professional group, it is therefore the entire sports management of the club that Medhi Benatia takes under his control. A strong signal at a time when certain dissonances could be observed here and there in Marseille, both in training and among the so-called Pro 2 squad, the Olympian reserve coached by Jean-Pierre Papin.
A few days ago, in an interview with La Provence, Medhi Benatia announced the color vigorously: “ At Bayern, you see Hoeness, Rummenigge, Guardiola, ah yes it’s strong, but behind, everything is square. It works in one direction only, that of the common interest. Here, we must move in the direction of the interests of OM, not personal interests. And there are too many personal interests in this club! (…) I don’t come from another planet, but I don’t accept working with people like that. I have the right. Today, before even talking about the contract, I want to know if we can work correctly, if it is healthy, if we are sure that everyone wants to work in the interest of OM. Do we want the best for the club? »
An incisive speech and method which clearly pleases Pablo Longoria, who was full of praise for his then advisor, last month, in Zack Nani’s Twitch patch: “
I think the arrival of Medhi as an advisor gave us a lot of fresh air. Medhi, he’s great! Medhi stinks of football! You need someone next to you with this energy, new, fresh, who wants to do things differently. Fabrizio’s arrivals (Ravanelli)Giovanni Rossi, from the coach, from many people in sports, Aziz (Mady Mogne)Ali (Zarrak)it gives you the desire to create a working group with dynamism. The atmosphere in the club’s sporting organization is something I felt during my time at Valencia, for example. There is a special osmosis. »
