If Pablo Longoria must communicate this Wednesday in the face of the crisis zone that OM is going through, the main players had to face the media in Amsterdam on the eve of the Europa League match. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Jacques Abardonado, appointed interim after Marcelino’s resignation, were questioned about the explosive situation in Marseille. For a press briefing which only lasted 17 minutes, instead of the usual 30. Sign of minimalist communication from the Marseille contingent.
“It’s quite a storm,” admitted the attacker without adding too much. We think about the match, it’s the most important thing, we have to focus on that. Results are expected of us on the ground. I don’t have much more to say about that. It’s a rather special context but the priority is to concentrate on tomorrow’s match. It’s not easy, we’re human and we think about that too. We really want to focus on the field and football. We are left with two results that are stuck in our throats and we want to raise the bar. You will have to be ready for this event. »
In the process, Jacques Abardonado, appointed firefighter on duty after the departure of the Spanish technician, did not say much more. “I found out about it very late last night through David (Friio, the sports director) who called me,” he says about taking up his position. It’s a pride for me to be able to represent this club. I’ll be leading the group for the first time tonight. (…) I am available to the club, they call on me and I try to respond. »
Asked about the climate between the players before Marcelino’s resignation, the new interim coach claims to have seen nothing coming. “In training, I saw players who gave themselves. The players did not cheat, gave their best. I didn’t see anything coming. (…) When you touch a club that you love, it hurts. But we must move on and look to the future. »
Thursday evening, OM faces Ajax Amsterdam (9 p.m.) to launch their Europa League campaign. An important meeting from a sporting point of view but which is completely swept away by the institutional crisis that the Marseille club is experiencing in recent days.