Benatia OM Future: What Did He Mean?

Advisor to President Pablo Longoria who became director of football at Olympique de Marseille, Medhi Benatia is now an essential figure in the Olympian club. Returning to the Marseille city to put the house in order and bring more professionalism, the former Moroccan defender was one of the great architects of OM’s recovery. However, the 38-year-old will not last long in the Canebière. Last April, he had already provided an update on his future in the columns of Provence.

“Regardless of my love for OM, I came for Pablo (Longoria). The day Pablo (Longoria) leaves, I leave. (…) I am not linked to anything or anyone. I even asked for a parachute in case of departure… 0€! Some here negotiate their parachute before their salary… I’ve never seen that in my life. Football is a passion, if you do that, you have nothing to do at OM.” Yesterday, Benatia took advantage of a long interview with RMC Sport to address various hot topics in Marseille news… including its future. The opportunity for him to reaffirm that his future is not linked to anyone, in particular to that of Roberto De Zerbi, and to confide that he will probably not be a long-term member of the Marseille club.

“I work every day as if I was going to stay ten years, knowing that this is not the case”

“No, I don’t think so. You should ask him the question. As I often say, I am here, I work every day as if I was going to stay ten years knowing that that is not the case. That’s my way of thinking. Rome, I signed for five years, I bought a house, I thought I would stay and after a year I left (he only stayed for the 2013-2014 season, editor’s note). Unfortunately, in football you know very well that it happens like that. (…) I hope he (De Zerbi, editor’s note) will stay as long as possible. I’m not particularly attached to anyone. Longoria, he’s the one who brought me back, but if Pablo wants to stay for ten years and I decide to do something else, there’s no one who can stop me from doing something else.”he said.

Comments which did not fail to provoke a reaction from the media’s journalists. Immediately revived, Benatia explained that he was not announcing an upcoming departure, but that his position required a lot of effort. And the Moroccan does not intend to spend his entire life with the Marseille club. “I said it’s something very tiring. I already said it last year, I’ll say it again. It’s quite tiring, it requires a lot of energy. You leave your health. I don’t know if it’s something I have to do for many years because I have children, I have a life behind me.”he confided, before concluding evasively when a journalist asked him if he planned to stay at least five years in Marseille, while his contract runs until 2027. “We’ll see, we’ll have to ask the boss. Contracts no longer mean anything in football today. » Suspense !