In an official statement, Olympique de Marseille has taken a stance following a tense meeting with supporter groups.
Just days before Le Clasico, chaos ensues at OM. The wild rumor of a double resignation from coach Marcelino and President Longoria circulated after a tumultuous meeting with the supporters. Since then, the club has toned it down, and nothing is certain.
But the statement is assertive. “OM’s Directorate believes in a transparent and regular relationship with its supporters, and everyone at the club – players, staff, and management – believes that criticism is an integral part of the role and honor of representing OM on and off the field. However, OM’s Directorate cannot accept personal threats. Its members cannot tolerate individual attacks and any form of unfounded public defamation. A relationship based on intimidation cannot guarantee the minimum acceptable conditions for the club’s Directorate to continue to invest in OM’s transformation,” the statement reads.
Some executives, including President Pablo Longoria, have decided to step back from their roles to take some time off and contemplate the future. This decision was made to avoid making hasty decisions in a tense atmosphere.
However, the situation of coach Marcelino remains very uncertain, and it was not mentioned in the club’s official statement. According to information from radio station RMC, the trend seems to be leaning toward Marcelino’s departure, although nothing is official yet. He is not expected to travel to Amsterdam for the Europa League match against Ajax.
Spanish media reports that Marcelino will resign. According to L’Equipe du Soir, a program aired on La chaîne L’Equipe, former OM player and former member of the Olympic staff under Jorge Sampaoli, Jacques “Pancho” Abardonado, could take interim charge.
The situation at OM is marked by uncertainty and ambiguity, with tensions among executives, supporters, and the coach. The future of the club appears very uncertain at this time.