Benjamin Mendy Welcomes Michel’s Arrival, Embraces New Direction at Marseille
By BBC Sport – Ligue 1 Coverage
Olympique de Marseille full-back Benjamin Mendy faced the press on Friday and offered insight into life under new manager Michel, following the sudden departure of Marcelo Bielsa earlier this season.
The 21-year-old Frenchman was candid in assessing the contrast between the two coaches, painting Michel as a more hands-on, communicative leader.
“He’s closer to the players,” said Mendy. “He talks to us, gives advice—he’s cool. I think it’s going to go well. He has a very aggressive style. He’s a coach who’s hungry, just like the squad. We’ll be hungry together.”
Bielsa, known for his intense and often enigmatic methods, left a lasting imprint at OM, but Mendy suggests a shift is underway. While both managers emphasize attacking football, the tactical setup and player involvement are noticeably evolving under Michel.
“We’ll keep our base, which is attacking,” Mendy explained. “But we’ll play in a 4-3-3 most of the time. What will change is there will be fewer individual attacks—we’ll move more in zones.”
On the training ground, adjustments are being made not just tactically but also linguistically. Michel, who communicates in Spanish, is gradually building rapport with the squad. Mendy acknowledged that while the language barrier exists, it’s manageable.
“He speaks to us in Spanish, but we’re starting to understand,” Mendy added with a smile. “There’s a translator, and Franck Passi helps too.”
Michel, appointed to steady the ship after Bielsa’s abrupt resignation in August, is tasked with revitalizing a Marseille side that finished fourth last season but has endured early inconsistency. For players like Mendy, the managerial change represents both a challenge and a new opportunity.
The young defender also reiterated his commitment to the club earlier this week, expressing a desire to win titles with Marseille and to extend his contract, which currently runs until 2017.
With Michel now firmly at the helm and players like Mendy buying into his philosophy, Marseille hope to regain momentum in Ligue 1 and push for European qualification once again.
