Ligue 1: “Sometimes borderline behavior”, Medhi Benatia tackles Marseillais Jonathan Clauss

Medhi Benatia does not let go of Jonathan Clauss. In an interview given to Canal + and broadcast a few minutes before the kick-off of Olympique de Marseille’s match against Brest on Sunday evening, Pablo Longoria’s sports advisor was not kind to the defender.

The former Moroccan international thus approached the end of the winter transfer window, when Jonathan Clauss had been placed on the transfer list, to everyone’s surprise.

“I arrived in November, I was warned about two or three players whose behavior was sometimes a little borderline,” began Medhi Benatia. Jonathan was one of those players. I know that he had been received several times in the coach’s office to explain to him what was expected of him, in terms of attitude, as a leader, a French international. We thought the message had gotten through, unfortunately, it wasn’t. »

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— CANAL+ Foot (@CanalplusFoot) February 18, 2024

At the origin in particular of this desire to be sidelined: the draw conceded on January 27 against Monaco (2-2). The 31-year-old French international had asked to leave due to injury after 35 minutes of play. “Jo is asking for a change and on such an important day, you have to tell him: “You have to grit your teeth,” continued Medhi Benatia . This is not the time where you can let go of me, because we are missing ten or twelve guys at this point. »

And continued: “When you go out and we learn from the medical staff that it was a blow and that in fact, there was nothing in particular, that the player had asked to go out, all the staff is not happy. » It was therefore after this meeting that the managers decided to place the player on the starting list.

“There were no threats”

“We say to ourselves: the player wants to leave,” says Benatia. So the club asks me to call their agent. It was 11:30 p.m. to midnight after the Monaco match and I left a voice note for the agent asking if he could call me back. It’s important for us to be able to move forward quickly. »

Benatia assures him, “there were no threats”. “No one is going to threaten anyone. We’re in football here. This is not true. There was simply a desire to say: Guys, if it’s better, maybe the player has desires elsewhere, we’ll listen to him,” he continued.

There was ultimately no offer and Jonathan Clauss returned to training, well watched by the managers who deplored the lack of leaders within the team. Jonathan “has extraordinary conditions (…) indicated Pablo Longoria at the beginning of the month. He is someone who has a special sensitivity, he is also an endearing player. But as an international and an important player in the team, at this precise moment, we need leaders to emerge.”

“We’ve hit rock bottom”

Because Marseille, beaten Sunday evening in Brest (1-0), has not won a championship match for two months. Over their last six matches in Ligue 1, OM have done no better with four draws and two defeats and are stagnating in ninth place in the standings.

“We have hit rock bottom” lamented Gennaro Gattuso on Prime Video after the meeting on Sunday evening. “Now we have to look behind us in the rankings and not talk about Europe,” he said. You have to focus on taking the necessary points, concentrate on the work, and not make excuses. »

The case of Jonathan Clauss should be talked about again during the next transfer window. “We’ll see at the end of the season what happens,” concluded Medhi Benatia on Sunday evening, acknowledging that in recent days his player’s state of mind was “a little bit better”.