Charisma, busy windows and enemies, Medhi Benatia’s unfinished OM adventure | OneFootball

Medhi Benatia has left his role as Olympique de Marseille’s director of football, closing a little over two years defined by charisma, restless trading and accumulating enemies.

According to L'Équipe, the 38-year-old targeted players and the media, his standout coup the September 2024 courtship of Adrien Rabiot and his mother. After the August fracas at Roahzon Park, Rabiot apologised but was stunned to be sidelined as Benatia stuck to the Miami pact with Roberto De Zerbi and Pablo Longoria.

Impatient and quickly weary of the dressing room, he singled out Jonathan Clauss on arrival, then condemned a very average team with a disastrous attitude, calling a European semi-final baffling and eighth in Ligue 1 his biggest sporting failure. Even as results improved under De Zerbi, many recruits left within six months and Mason Greenwood chose to ignore him.

On the market he pleased ownership with positive balances, using Gulf and Italian ties. Renan Lodi went to Al Hilal, Elye Wahi to Frankfurt and Iliman Ndiaye to Everton, while Italian exits such as Luis Henrique and Robinio Vaz brought profits. He said he met De Zerbi’s wishes, with the coach’s agents involved in deals including Vaz and Pierre-Emile Höjbjerg.

Inside the club he cast progress against perceived enemies, promising in 2025 to clean up. Granted full sporting control in November 2024, he installed loyalists and trumpeted a dream team, avoided criticising Frank McCourt or mentor Pablo Longoria, and on Sunday signed off via his own channels rather than the club’s.

Source: L'Équipe