The Marseille ultras corner the Spanish Olympique clan: death threats to Longoria and Marcelino

The Olympique de Marseille is a powder keg. The only French team that has won a Champions League has once again wallowed in its own chaos and has exploded, caused by some ultra groups that remain the only leaders of a club doomed to eternal disaster as long as this situation lasts.. On Monday afternoon, the ultras showed up at the sports city and even threatened “with death” Pablo Longoria, president of the club, and Marcelino García Toral, its coach.

The beginning of the course that has not been outstanding but not suspenseful either. They are third in the Ligue 1 standings after five games and will play in the Europa League after losing in the Champions League qualifier, a defeat that has hurt the hard core of the fans.

The situation is so delicate and the blackmail has reached such a point that Longoria, 37 years old, a native of Oviedo and with two years as president behind him, would have decided to step aside after meeting with the owner of the team, the American Frank McCourt. A situation similar to that experienced by other team presidents such as Vincent Labrune or Jacques-HenriEyraud.

Early this Tuesday, L'Equipe claimed that Marcelino had submitted his resignation under pressure from the ultras, but the Asturian coach's entourage denied that circumstance and declared that “he is calm.”. If Longoria stays, so does he. But without Pablo he can't stay there, he would be exposed.”

In Marseille it is common for the ultras, related to the city's mafias, to attend training sessions and press conferences to try to pressure or blackmail the club's employees, whether they are managers or simple workers.. On this occasion, and according to sources close to the situation, “ten people showed up at the facilities to threaten some people with death.”

“They were threats that made you seriously reconsider whether it was worth continuing in the club,” they say from France.. The ultras claim that Olympique has lost its identity and has handed the club over to players and managers who are not from the city, such as the Spaniards Pedro Iriondo or Javier Ribalta, signed by Longoria.. In recent times, the club has let Matteo Guendouzi, Dimitri Payet and goalkeeper Mandanda, French, leave, and has signed more international players such as Lodi, Sarr, Malinovski and Aubameyang.

On social networks, the ultras encouraged pressure against the board: “We will defend the club at any cost,” wrote Hamza Baggour, one of the leaders of South Winners, the most important group.. “The club is going badly in every way. The main rule in Marseille is clear and simple. Our people are not touched.”

Marcelino, at 58 years old, arrived in Marseille this summer after a season of transition after his departure from Athletic Club. In France he is accompanied by the same work team that has followed him over the last decade, including his son, and remains “calm” despite the pressures.

Longoria and the coach are not the first Spaniards to have problems in Marseille. Zubizarreta was there as sports director between 2016 and 2020: “Playing at the Vélodrome with pressure was never easy,” he said at the time.

Olympique has gone ten years without winning a title (the 2012 League Cup) and has not won Ligue 1 since 2010, always in the shadow of PSG.