L’Olympique de Marseille is facing a major crisis with the imminent departure of Adrien Rabiot, a French international midfielder who arrived from the Juventus in September 2024. This decision, announced after a violent altercation in the locker room with his team-mate Emile Rowe, aroused considerable controversy. Initially, Rabiot’s mother referred to a “lack of investment” in the club, but this version is strongly denied by the Marseille management, who insists on the violence of the incident that occurred after the match against Stade Rennais FC. The club officially justified this sanction by “inadmissible behaviour” in accordance with its internal code of conduct, a decision that surprised and disappointed the teammates and some of the supporters.

The situation is all the more complex as the incident highlighted internal tensions within the team. Coach Roberto De Zerbis, particularly shocked by the scene and feeling betrayed by Rabiot, and his teammates, showed disbelief at this forced departure. Rabiot’s lawyer strongly criticized the club’s explanations, suggesting that the player’s future remains uncertain and that the ball is now in the management camp. This breach of confidence, combined with the support shown by his relatives, may worsen the situation and occupy the last days of the mercato.

This failure is particularly bitter for OM, which had started the pre-season with a renewed optimism, with a successful mercato and encouraging results during the friendships. The defeat against Rennes, even with one less man, revived doubts and tensions, and the incident with Rabiot and Rowe seems to be the drop of water that makes the vase overflow. The club’s priority now is to manage this crisis with transparency and focus on the ground, consolidating the team and meeting the expectations of the fans in the next match against Paris FC. The hope is that this situation will not spoil a season that had started well.

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