The Olympique de Marseille players are preparing to face Ajax Amsterdam in the Europa League, in a “chaotic” climate according to their center forward. Pierre-Émerick Aubameyang calls on his teammates to “stay united”.
Jacques Abardonado will lead Olympique de Marseille, Thursday September 21 at 9 p.m. in Amsterdam, for OM’s entry into the Europa League. Former player of the club and member of the staff, he replaces at short notice the Spanish coach Marcelino, who left the club less than three months after his arrival. OM has indeed been in crisis since a meeting between managers and representatives of supporter groups on Monday September 18, during which threats were allegedly made against the club’s management. So much so that the president of OM, Pablo Longoria and the board of directors decided to step back.
>> INFOGRAPHIC. Crisis at OM: Marcelino leaves the club after only 3 months, compare the lifespan of coaches since 2009
On Wednesday, September 20, Jacques Abardonado appeared in the evening at a press conference, thus confirming the information that had leaked during the day. The new coach spoke more clearly about what is happening to him. He spoke of “pride” to lead OM for the first time, he the former central defender of Marseille from 1998 to 2001. Jacques Abardonado also indicated that he did not expect the latest events: “I didn’t see anything happen. I saw the players on a daily basis, I spoke with them and none of them gave me any information that it wasn’t going well.”
Jacques Abardonado also clarified that the players, when signing for OM, had to expect this kind of context, and that he had had time to speak with the sports director, David Frio, who accompanies him in this trip to Amsterdam. The two men, he said, “already ideas” to implement their tactics. But for the rest of the board, including the president, there is no question of making the trip. Pablo Longoria and the members of this board decided to step back, some would say a little quickly, under pressure from supporters.
Staying “united even in a chaotic situation”
To know how this crisis is experienced in the OM locker room, we must rely on the sole opinion of a single player, and not the least since it is the striker Pierre-Émerick Aubameyang, the one of the main players recruited this summer. He was the one who was appointed to answer questions from journalists on Wednesday September 20. After a few agreed responses, and one can say a bit soothing from the Olympian center forward in the context, he recognizes that the situation is exceptional for such a match.
“It’s sure that it’s a real turmoil. We have to deal with it. As footballers, we have to do the job by achieving results. To do that, we have to stay united even in this situation chaotic.”
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyangat franceinfo
The watchword is therefore “focus” on this first match of the Europa League, for this OM who will have the mission of entering this Europa League, the second European Cup, just to console themselves for the premature and cruel elimination in the Champions League in August.
This first leg against Ajax Amsterdam could also make us forget for a while this psychodrama which this great club would still have done without. Especially since sportingly, the situation is far from catastrophic in the championship: 4th and undefeated, despite two lackluster draws against Nantes and Toulouse in the last two matches. All before the arrival of the Pope in Marseille this weekend who will also go to the Vélodrome stadium… The men in white and blue are definitely going through a very funny period.