Mehdi Benatia works in the shadows at OM to change daily operations and the level of professional standards.
Since he arrived as sports advisor to Pablo Longoria, Mehdi Benatia has not been idle. Between his involvement in the Jonathan Clauss case, with controversial media interventions, and his daily presence at the Commanderie around the team, the former Juventus and Bayern Munich defender is active.
As for his shadow work, far from the cameras, this is perhaps where the ex-Moroccan international is most at ease. In an article in Le Parisien, we learned this weekend that Benatia does not just whisper in Longoria’s ear, but frequently interacts with the players, with demands and the desire to change a model which, according to him, no longer works .
“He hates delays” and can be “cash”
“Medhi Benatia spends his time in the sports building where he wants to be the guarantor of the values of the institution. Uncompromising about the delays he hates, the invisible work, the daily investment and the intensity in the sessions, he can be cash, even if it means surprising his interlocutors, and was surprised on his arrival by the rather light mode of operation and the freedom taken by certain players »we can read on the website of the Ile-de-France daily.
Benatia seems ready to take on this “whipping father” costume. Will all players be receptive to it? That’s another question. The legitimacy of his CV as a player, then his years as an agent, currently give him the latitude and credibility necessary to operate at Olympique de Marseille.
