The Olympique de Marseille continues to embody a perpetual rollercoaster, a spectacle of unending instability that each year surpasses itself in surreal fashion. This narrative of turmoil reached a new peak this week, following a dramatic series of events that have reshaped the club’s leadership and strategic direction.
Last Sunday, Medhi Benatia announced his resignation from the position of sporting director. This move, however, proved to be a fleeting gesture. In a stunning reversal, the Moroccan executive has been reinstated, renamed in the role, with the club confirming his continuation until the season’s end. The primary casualty of this political maneuver is the Spaniard Pablo Longoria, who finds himself significantly undermined by these developments.
On Tuesday morning, the club’s owner, Frank McCourt, formalized the situation through an official statement. The communication confirmed that Benatia would remain, tasked with “piloting the operational duties” of the sporting department for the remainder of the campaign. This decision effectively sidelines Longoria, betraying his position and authority within the organization’s hierarchy.
Alonso Emerges as a Target Amid the Chaos
Amidst this internal power struggle and leadership disarray, the club’s search for stability has led its gaze toward the dugout. Reports indicate that Olympique de Marseille has initiated contact with Xabi Alonso, seeking to secure the services of the highly-regarded Spanish coach. The approach represents a clear attempt to install a figure capable of navigating the turbulent waters at the Velodrome.
The sequence of events—Benatia’s resignation, his subsequent reinstatement, and the overture to Alonso—paints a picture of an institution in frantic search of a new direction. The betrayal of Longoria’s standing suggests a deeper internal conflict, while the pursuit of a coach of Alonso’s caliber highlights the urgency to find a unifying and competent technical leader. The coming weeks will reveal whether this latest chapter of Marseille’s endless drama brings clarity or further complicates the path forward for one of France’s most storied clubs.