Chancel Mbemba filed legal complaint against Marseille | OneFootball

Last weekend, Chancel Mbemba (31) made his first appearance in club football since the end of the 2023/24 season, when he made his debut for Lille OSC against Toulouse FC (2-1). The last time he played before pulling on the Lille shirt was Marseille’s closer against Le Havre AC on the 19th of May 2024.

In that final match for Marseille, Mbemba was given the captain’s armband, but a few months later, he would be asked to leave as the club attempted a complete overhaul of the squad. Mbemba was placed in the “loft,” as Marseille tried to persuade him to exit before the end of his contract in 2025.

It was a situation that Mbemba did not appreciate; he was involved in a publicised disagreement with Ali Zarrak, among other conflicts with Marseille. At one point, he had his wages docked for three weeks (although the league’s legal committee overruled this decision).

Mbemba remained at the club, although he was not involved in the matchday squads, video or tactical sessions, and only returned to first-team training for legal reasons. He was again invited to leave midway through the season, with Stade Rennais and Montpellier HSC interested, as well as clubs in Saudi Arabia. However, he turned down these approaches.

According to a report from L’Équipe, months ago, the centre-back filed a legal complaint with the Marseille prosecutors’ office against his former team and the club president Pablo Longoria. The French outlet writes that Mbemba accused the club of moral harassment due to his exclusion. However, there is also an allegation that the club tried to impose a foreign intermediary to try and conclude a transfer.

L’Équipe writes that evidence was provided, including in the form of recordings. It is not known if the investigation is still ongoing. The French outlet reached out to all parties, but received little response: the Marseille prosecutors’ office, “neither confirmed nor denied” L’Équipe’s information, the club refused to make a comment, and the player’s lawyers did not respond to their request.

GFFN | Nick Hartland