REVEALED: Why Chancel Mbemba sued Olympique Marseille

Congolese captain Chancel Mbemba has reportedly sued his former club, Olympique Marseille.

According to L’Équipe, the veteran defender filed a complaint against his former club several months ago, alleging harassment and mistreatment.

Mbemba made his return to club football last weekend, debuting for Lille OSC in a 2–1 win over Toulouse FC. His last appearance before that was for Marseille in their final match of the 2023/24 season against Le Havre AC on May 19, 2024, where he wore the captain’s armband.

Following that match, Marseille initiated a squad overhaul and placed Mbemba in the “loft,” a group of players the club sought to offload before the end of their contracts. Mbemba, whose deal runs until 2025, was asked to leave but resisted the move.

The situation escalated with a public disagreement involving club official Ali Zarrak, and Mbemba’s wages were docked for three weeks, a decision later overturned by the league’s legal committee.

During this period, he was excluded from matchday squads, video analysis sessions, and tactical meetings, and only returned to first-team training due to legal reasons.

Despite interest from Stade Rennais, Montpellier HSC, and clubs in Saudi Arabia, Mbemba declined all offers and remained with Marseille.

L’Équipe reports that Mbemba filed a legal complaint with the Marseille prosecutors’ office, naming both the club and president Pablo Longoria.

The report states that the defender accused the club of moral harassment and alleged that a foreign intermediary was imposed in an attempt to facilitate a transfer.

Evidence, including recordings, was reportedly submitted. However, the status of the investigation remains unclear. When contacted, the Marseille prosecutors’ office “neither confirmed nor denied” the report, the club declined to comment, and Mbemba’s legal representatives did not respond.