In an existential crisis at the start of 2025, the Montpellier Hérault Sport Club is therefore ready to do anything to save itself, but not at any price. Asked by DAZN about the possible arrival of Wissam Ben Yedder, coach Jean-Louis Gasset clearly exposed the only pitfalls, and they are certainly not, unsurprisingly, justice or the cause of women. « It is this type of player that we are aiming for for Montpellier. An experienced player, who is a scorer. […] There are others, but for that, we have to sell players. I have always said, we will take where we sell. » In short, apart from a cash flow shortage, the ex-Monegasque is welcome.
We can legitimately have fun with the variable geometry management of questions of exemplarity on the Mosson side. Laurent Nicollin thus sanctioned Téji Savanier, his captain, for having frankly explained that he was experiencing the situation well with his « 210,000 euros per month »after an inglorious elimination in 32es final of the Coupe de France. Apparently, the seriousness of behavior is not measured on a football field like in the rest of society.
Justice is blind, so is football
Wissam Ben Yedder is therefore a potential good deal in the eyes of the MHSC. His news for months has been limited to his setbacks in court, barely obscured by the media coverage of the Pogba trial. He is thus prosecuted for « rape, attempted rape and sexual assault ». He was sentenced in November to a two-year suspended prison sentence, this time for sexual assault while intoxicated. He appealed, although he admitted part of the facts. In the spring, he will be back on the stand to answer charges of psychological violence against his wife – the divorce is in progress.
His judicial review does not prevent him from leaving the national territory and it does not pose any obstacle to him pursuing his professional career.
However, far from representing a handicap, this lackluster history is considered an unexpected opportunity during the transfer window. The chance to recruit at a lower cost a great striker of international dimension, otherwise out of reach of a possible relegation player (he received 600,000 euros monthly on the Rock and played in the European Cups there). The only concerns were ultimately focused around his judicial control (weekly double scoring, ban on frequenting drinking establishments and leaving his home between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m., obligation to provide care). However, his lawyer, Maître Hasna Louzé, reassured everyone: « It does not prevent him from leaving the national territory and it does not pose any obstacle to him pursuing his professional career. »
In this way, if agreed, he would take over from Benjamin Mendy (acquitted of six rapes), who landed in Lorient, and from Mason Greenwood (complaint for physical and sexual violence withdrawn), who became a hero in Marseille. Cynicism remains absolute in France. The calculations too. Between the slowness of justice, the appeal procedures and the presumption of innocence, the former Blue will no longer be the problem for the MSHC when the final sentence falls, and cases of conscience will only arise in the past .
The fans' dilemma
If on social networks, some supporters were moved by his recruitment, recalling in particular the club's positions in favor of women's football (even where Laurent Nicollin announced last April a drastic reduction in the budget), others voices express their cowardly relief. Quoted by The Teamone of the faithful of Mosson confesses that “if Ben Yedder has the same level as Greenwood, I know few La Paillade supporters who will complain about it in two months, Morality and honor are a luxury we cannot afford at the moment. » We must separate the player from the man, like for Depardieu or Matzneff? Sébastien, also a Montpellier supporter, still in daily life, just turns out to be more skeptical about the strictly sporting dimension: “We're here criticizing the players, their mentality, and are we going to be interested in this guy? It makes me disgusted. Ben Yedder must no longer have a head for football, with problems with alcohol and violence, it doesn't make sense. » This sequence once again depreciates our Ligue 1, with the bitter certainty that unless one is incarcerated, like Dani Alves in Spain, nothing could prevent, ethically, such recruitment. And even in the latter case, the club would be able to ask the sentencing judge to allow him to use an electronic bracelet…
Lyon wins at the end of the night in Montpellier
