Uncertainty briefly surrounded the future of Mehdi Benatia at Olympique Marseille following the departure of head coach Roberto De Zerbi, with reports suggesting the Moroccan sporting director had offered to step aside from his role at the club.
Marseille confirmed early Wednesday morning that De Zerbi had left his position after a year and a half in charge.
The Italian coach’s exit came on the back of a heavy 5-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, a result that left Marseille fourth in the Ligue 1 standings on 39 points, twelve behind the league leaders.
The club had also seen its Champions League campaign end at the first hurdle.
With De Zerbi gone, the Marseille hierarchy is eager to move swiftly in appointing a new coach capable of guiding the team through the remainder of the 2025/2026 season while also laying the foundations for a sustainable long-term project.
According to RMC Sport, Benatia submitted his resignation to the club’s management shortly after De Zerbi’s departure, but the proposal was immediately rejected.
The report explained that Benatia’s move was made out of solidarity with the Italian coach, with whom he had committed to a three-year project at the club. He reportedly believes that De Zerbi alone should not be held responsible for the current difficulties.
During a meeting with the players following their first training session after De Zerbi’s exit, Benatia, who was said to be deeply affected by the situation, addressed the squad and confirmed that he had offered to resign. He also reminded the players that responsibility for the team’s struggles must be shared.
“The coach is no longer here, and he has taken responsibility. I am also ready to take responsibility and leave the club, although I will stay in Marseille because I love this city and this club,” Benatia told the players.
He added, “If the rules are too harsh, tell me, and I will leave. I will leave you to your own devices.”
A source noted that despite the emotional tone of the meeting, the former Moroccan international ultimately urged the players to remain united and focus on the challenges ahead, effectively confirming his continuation in the role for now.
The report concluded by stressing that the episode underlines Benatia’s willingness to put the club’s interests above his own position.
It also suggested that his future at Marseille could remain uncertain if he feels the overall conditions are not aligned with the club’s ambitions at every level.
