Marseille director discusses Allegri, wanting Conceicao and Fonseca plus Rabiot brawl

Marseille director Mehdi Benatia has spoken about three managers connected with AC Milan in the present and recent past.

There has been quite a bit of movement on the path between Marseille and Milan recently, with Ismael Bennacer heading to France in the winter transfer window and Adrien Rabiot coming the other way during the summer.

However, there is even more overlap when it comes to managers. Milan had Paulo Fonseca and Sergio Conceicao in charge last season, with neither doing enough to keep their job, but they could have ended up in the south of France.

Benatia gave an interview to Corriere dello Sport in which he spoke about Marseille and revealed some behind-the-scenes details regarding the choice of head coach, with MilanPress relaying his comments.

Is it true you wanted Fonseca and Conceicao?

“We had been looking at Fonseca. It was all done, there was an agreement, then in May 2024, after we lost in Bergamo to Atalanta, he called and told us nothing was happening. On June 13th, he was the AC Milan coach.

“At that point, we focused on Conceiçao, but when we learned there was a possibility of taking De Zerbi, we said to Pablo Longoria, our president: ‘Damn… let’s give it a try’. Encouraged by the owner, McCourt, we went on the offensive.”

Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images

What is your relationship with Allegri like?

“I love him, we respect each other, a great coach, perfect for Milan. We’ve argued in the past, I won’t deny it. Paratici was clear with me, he wasn’t so clear. He promised me I’d play despite Bonucci’s return. And do you know how it went? Five games, zero appearances.”

What happened with the Rabiot-Rowe incident?

“A brawl that should never be seen in a dressing room. At first we tried to keep the matter under wraps, waiting for an apology that was never given. Even if it means finishing fifth or sixth, we demand seriousness here.

“And at the beginning of the summer, there was none from some players. Delays, bad attitudes, unpleasant situations: are we joking? What are we doing here? We’re in the Champions League: so what?

“With Longoria and Roberto, we immediately took control of the situation, and since we have a healthy group, things fell into place. It didn’t go that way with them, but thanks anyway for what they gave to the team. Especially to Rabiot, who contributed to qualification.”