Will stay, will not stay? Pablo Longoria announced this Friday evening at a press conference that he remained the president of OM. Since Monday evening and a stormy meeting with certain supporters’ representatives, the 37-year-old leader, in office since 2021 as president of the Marseille club, had withdrawn with three other collaborators, believing that “limits had been exceeded” . He was also conspicuous by his absence during his players’ trip to Amsterdam against Ajax for the debut in the Europa League (3-3).
Since then, he had received the support of his boss, the American businessman Frank McCourt, who called for “profound change” at OM. This Friday, Pablo Longoria consulted, hesitated and finally made the decision to continue his adventure on the Canebière. “I decided to continue my mission as president of OM,” he admitted to the media. He will notably be present, alongside his family, for the perilous trip against Paris SG on Sunday evening at the end of the 6th day of Ligue 1.
“Today, I express myself from the heart in the costume of president of OM,” he said, touched and moved as he read a text prepared in advance. I’m not going back on what happened on Monday, it’s unacceptable. Throughout the week, I was touched by the outpouring of popular support, the testimonies, and the confidence from all sides. Players, employees, supporters, actors in the economic and institutional world. I am determined to continue my mission. »
The president was also offensive. “I asked my lawyers to file a complaint. This is not about fueling conflict. I want to stop these behaviors so that it doesn’t happen again in the future. This is my responsibility as president. We must be able to work in a normal football club. Since 2021, we have done a lot of things to improve the club. I am aware that everything is not perfect but there is work to be done. We must progress while maintaining these ethical rules. I am about to begin the most difficult period of my mandate as president.”
He also calls for collective cohesion and total support, which is far from being the case today given the recent very weak outings from Marseille Town Hall and the deputies who instead defended the supporters. Situation which has annoyed him deeply in recent hours. “This is a new stage in this period of transformation that began in 2021. To achieve this transformation, I need the support of everyone who loves the club. We must emerge from this bigger and put an end to the practices that I have already denounced. In this regard, next week, I will bring together several local actors. We have to change things together. What happened on Monday in Marseille must no longer be accepted, neither here nor elsewhere in the world of sport. »