Anonymous Marseille player claims Roberto De Zerbi grew distrustful of Medhi Benatia’s entourage over leaks | OneFootball

According to L’Équipe, an anonymous current Marseille player has claimed that former OM manager Roberto De Zerbi became increasingly distrustful of Medhi Benatia and his entourage during the 2024/25 season amid concerns over dressing-room leaks.

The player alleged that De Zerbi believed information from inside the club was repeatedly being leaked externally by individuals close to Marseille’s former sporting advisor.

“De Zerbi understood very quickly that Benatia and his people were behind many of the leaks,” the player reportedly told L’Équipe. “The information always appeared on the same websites or social media accounts.”

The anonymous player also claimed that members of the Marseille squad felt players who had fallen out of favour internally were regularly targeted publicly through leaks and negative media narratives.

“When one of us needed to be pushed out, they would suddenly be criticised on those same accounts,” the player allegedly added.

According to the report, tensions between De Zerbi and figures close to Benatia became increasingly strained during the second half of the campaign, to the point where communication between both sides reportedly deteriorated significantly. The player further claimed that De Zerbi attempted to distance certain individuals from the squad during Marseille’s training retreats in Rome.

The revelations form part of a broader L’Équipe investigation into Marseille’s internal environment, which also detailed accusations of paranoia, toxic management culture, and divisions behind the scenes at the club.

Benatia leaves Marseille at the end of this season alongside former president Pablo Longoria who departed following the resignation of Roberto De Zerbi. GFFN | George Boxall