Abdelaziz Barrada Shocked by Marcelo Bielsa’s Sudden Departure from Marseille
Moroccan international Abdelaziz Barrada has opened up about the unexpected resignation of Marcelo Bielsa, expressing his disbelief following the Argentine coach’s sudden exit after just the first Ligue 1 match of the season.
In an interview with Le Parisien, the Olympique de Marseille midfielder shared the shock felt across the dressing room when news of Bielsa’s resignation broke:
“Absolutely not. I wasn’t expecting this departure at all! Everyone at the club was surprised.”
Barrada recounted the moment the team was informed:
“After the match, we were asked to stay inside the dressing room. That’s when we started to ask ourselves questions. A few minutes later, the president arrived and announced that Bielsa had handed in his resignation… For us, it was a shock.”
The midfielder emphasized how much Bielsa’s presence had influenced key decisions within the squad:
“We had all prepared to play the season with Bielsa. There are also players who came for him (like Karim Rekik), others who stayed for him. So, it’s a big surprise.”
Barrada had just begun the season on a promising note under Bielsa’s leadership, and the resignation throws uncertainty over the club’s immediate future as Marseille scrambles to adjust to the sudden managerial change.
