Marseille hold calm fan meeting before Rennes Coupe de France tie, echoing Benfica | OneFootball

Marseille met around 50 supporters at their training base before the Coupe de France last-16 tie with Rennes, bringing players, coaching staff and executives together during a turbulent spell.

According to RMC Sport, the one-and-a-half-hour meeting was calm and intended to foster unity before a crucial game.

It took place at the training centre, with almost the full squad present. Roberto De Zerbi and his staff joined president Pablo Longoria and sporting director Medhi Benatia. Léo Balerdi, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Geoffrey Kondogbia and Timothy Weah spoke for the dressing room.

Both players and board agreed the team has quality, yet performances have been inconsistent and hard to explain. Leaders said they had expected more but felt nothing was lost, while stressing a priority of a second straight Champions League qualification. Marseille later beat Rennes 3-0.

The scene mirrored Benfica’s at Seixal on 24 January, when 200 supporters entered the training complex in an orderly manner. Fans then met general director Mário Branco, technical director Simão Sabrosa, head coach José Mourinho and captains Nicolás Otamendi, António Silva, Fredrik Aursnes and Tomás Araújo.

Rui Costa, who is eyeing an Ecuadorian midfielder, did not attend but authorised the group’s entry. That gathering was also orderly and served to discuss the team’s difficult moment.

Source: Glorioso 1904