Marseille, here we go again: De Zerbi also argues with Rabiot and Rowe and puts them on the market

Roberto De Zerbi's second season at Marseille got off to a terrible start. After a training altercation two weeks ago with Ismael Koné and the defeat in Rennes, he also had a heated argument with Adrien Rabiot and Jonathan Rowe, resulting in the decision to sell both players. The Brescia-born coach, already coming off a troubled season that ended with a Champions League qualification achieved only on the final day, has always enjoyed the support of president Pablo Longoria and sporting director Medhi Benatia . Even when the relationship between the coach and the team seemed at rock bottom. "He's a frank and well-prepared coach. He conveys emotion and tries to instill the club's values in the players. He has our full confidence," Benatia has often emphasized in interviews.

Rabiot on the market: a surprising decision

And in this case, too, that trust has been translated into action. The club, in a statement, announced that "Rabiot and Rowe (who has meanwhile already reached an agreement with Bologna) are on the market. The decision was made due to unacceptable behavior in the locker room after the match against Rennes, in agreement with the coaching staff and in accordance with the club's internal code of conduct." This was a surprising decision, especially for Rabiot, who was one of the architects of last year's second-place finish with nine goals and four assists in 29 games. Longoria himself, in the documentary "Without a Cry," produced by OM, called him "the best man I've ever had in a locker room in my entire career, a workhorse."

It all started from the fight in the locker room after the defeat in Rennes

But what was so serious? It seems that in the locker room after the defeat to Rennes, while De Zerbi, in the presence of Benatia, was chastising the players for not playing with sufficient humility and dedication, tensions escalated, with some leaders (Rulli, Balerdi, and Hojbjerg) feeling called out and responding by raising their voices. At this point, De Zerbi allegedly left, leaving the players to argue among themselves, and things escalated. Rowe was reportedly singled out for his lack of commitment, having engaged in a heated exchange of accusations with Rabiot, which even escalated into a physical altercation, as reported by 'L'Equipe' and a source close to the club. Once the situation calmed down, De Zerbi returned and made some very harsh remarks about both players.

On August 6th he had been the protagonist of the disagreement with Koné

The Italian coach, who had already weathered moments of crisis last year, culminating in an argument with Pol Lirola and a mutiny by half the team, accused of unworthy conduct on the pitch after a defeat, was involved in a similar incident during training on August 6th, which was also broadcast on the club's YouTube channel. After some poor ball handling, he reprimanded Koné, shouting, "Oh my God! When I say cut down on touches, cut down on touches!" He then turned directly to the midfielder, saying, "Go shower! We're Marseille here! Call your agent, get him here!" Koné turned and responded by seeking a face-to-face confrontation with the coach, and the two were separated only by the intervention of his teammates and staff.