Internal Crisis at Olympique Marseille Puts Benatia on Brink of Departure

The crisis at Olympique Marseille extends beyond the technical framework and Italian coach Roberto De Zerbi, also encompassing Moroccan sporting director Mehdi Benatia. His tenure at the club is now threatened with an end amid escalating internal tensions and increasing questions about his future.

Since his appointment as director of football in the summer of 2024, Benatia has experienced a delicate period, marked by a deterioration in his relationship with the club's management and a charged atmosphere within the dressing room, negatively impacting the team's overall stability.

The French newspaper "la Provence" revealed a gradual decline in the relationship between Benatia and club president Pablo Longoria in recent months. The Spanish president has become less involved in daily sporting management, granting Benatia extensive powers related to the transfer market and the organization of the professional sector.

Olympique Marseille's transfer market activities in recent seasons highlight the extent of changes the team has undergone, without achieving technical stability or building a clear collective identity. The latest transfer window, executed with a significant budget, has sparked increasing internal debate, especially as some major signings, despite De Zerbi's approval, have raised questions about the impact of continuous squad changes, which contributed to weakening cohesion within the group.

The atmosphere within the dressing room reflects a state of unease, with several players questioning the sporting director's discourse and his declining ability to influence the team. This is exemplified by the case of English striker Mason Greenwood, according to internal reports that speak of a strained relationship between him and Mehdi Benatia.

Despite all these circumstances, Benatia continues his work on restructuring the sports sector, without hiding on previous occasions that his experience in Marseille might not be long-term. Club insiders are now discussing his potential departure at the end of the season, which could open the door for wide-ranging changes at Olympique Marseille, not limited to Benatia, but also including the coaching staff led by Roberto De Zerbi.