Mehdi Benatia's right-hand man, Ali Zarrak was at the heart of Chancel Mbemba's first dismissal and now Jean-Pierre Papin is complaining about his methods, which are considered borderline.
Even in a week without a match, there is tension at OM and it is not necessarily linked to recent news and the heavy defeat against PSG last Sunday. Behind the scenes things are happening in a club which is nevertheless seeking to stabilize itself with the new project launched by Pablo Longoria this summer. But major departures could take place this week, since the national media confirm that Jean-Pierre Papin has skipped his last obligations with the reserves, while Marco Otero, head of the training center, will slam the door in the coming days announces L 'Team. The two men have one thing in common, they believe that OM plays too much the first team card at all costs, and that forced choices in the categories below take away all decision-making power.
OM leaves its lawyers to Papin
But when talking about the commonalities, there is a man who seems to crystallize a lot of tensions. These include the influential Ali Zarrak, right-hand man of Mehdi Benatia and who arrived at the club as head of Pro 2. He had been the target of Chancel Mbemba's famous “cousin” when he was laid off during the summer, and in recent days, Jean-Pierre Papin reported his behavior to the human resources of the Provençal club. For the former Ballon d'Or, the procedure could be similar to a complaint for moral harassment. For its part, in another case, L'Equipe affirms that JPP did file a complaint against X for having been threatened by a man on a motorcycle in front of his home, in Plan de Campagne.
Double news which provoked a strong reaction from OM, which made its lawyers available to the former Marseille striker in this motorcycle threat case. But L'Equipe makes it clear, Ali Zarrak's methods are starting to provoke a reaction, and the former lofters who have mostly left the club speak of a very limited way of doing things according to the sports daily's journalists. BFM Marseille confirms that the report made within the club by Papin is indeed aimed at Ali Zarrak, and an internal investigation will be carried out by an external firm.
Almost a year to the day after his arrival at OM, Jean-Pierre Papin is in any case expected at the Commanderie, even if the managers do not yet know in what moral state the club legend is.
