Nasri Defends Benatia: 'He Wasn't Playing Games with Marseille and Had No Intention of Staying'

Former French international Samir Nasri affirmed that Mehdi Benatia's decision to reverse his departure from Olympique Marseille was not premeditated, stressing that the sporting director was genuinely exhausted by the club's internal situation.

“The events in the team are like the fifth season of Game of Thrones. Frankly, it wasn't intentional on his part. When I spoke with him on Sunday, I felt that his resignation was a real release, he needed to breathe,” Nasri said in statements to Canal+.

He added: “Benatia was not maneuvering against Pablo Longoria (Marseille president). He was genuinely affected and wanted to distance himself from the pressure. However, Frank McCourt's (club owner) intervention changed the situation and postponed his departure until summer, while expanding his powers.”

Nasri explained with an angry tone: “As a Marseille fan, they are getting on my nerves, every two or three days something new emerges.”

Nasri continued, criticizing the crisis management: “No coach or sporting director announces his resignation and then retracts it, and the president loses part of his influence. Frankly, I no longer understand anything. The official statement, for me, made no sense, because the sporting decisions were already in Mehdi's hands.”

The former French international considered that Benatia had, at a certain stage, become a “protective shield” to absorb criticism, adding that the current crisis could have been avoided if it had been handled more calmly.

Nasri concluded by emphasizing that Benatia will continue his mission of managing the transitional phase until the end of the season, awaiting a broader restructuring within the club next summer, amidst owner Frank McCourt's search for a new administrative project to restore stability to Marseille.