Marseille Duo’s Row Was Like ‘Bar Fight,’ Says De Zerbi

Marseille boss Roberto de Zerbi says Adrien Rabiot and Jonathan Rowe were placed on the transfer list after an altercation between the team-mates that was like a “bar fight”.

The incident occurred after the French club suffered a 1-0 defeat at Rennes in their opening Ligue 1 fixture, with the hosts scoring in stoppage time despite being reduced to 10 men in the 31st minute.

“I ask you this. What happens if, at your workplace, two people, two employees, two workers, two lawyers, get into a fight?” said De Zerbi.

“It was a bar fight, in front of the sporting director, in front of the coach, with a team-mate on the ground (Darryl Bakola, who was suffering a medical emergency).”

The Italian, who took over at Marseille in 2024 after leaving Brighton, added the ferocity of the confrontation shocked those present.

“It’s true that no teeth were broken during the fight, but it was a fight like I’ve never seen in all my years in football,” said De Zerbi.

“For the first time in my career, I didn’t know what to say or what to do. I’ve never seen anything like it. I come from the streets, I’m used to fights, but I’ve never seen anything like this.

“The club’s bodyguards were trying to separate them. Normally they’re supposed to protect us from others, not from ourselves.”

While Marseille president Pablo Longoria described the incident as “extremely violent,” Rabiot’s mother Veronique subsequently called the club’s decision to place the midfielder on the transfer list as a “betrayal” and compared his situation to Mason Greenwood joining the club.

But De Zerbi responded: “The mother has forgotten two things. I decided to make him captain… and in one year, I gave her son more attention and affection than I did my own son.

“For Rabiot’s mother to say that we gave Greenwood a second chance, that’s crazy. We’re talking about private life here. It’s not fair to talk about other people. We’re talking about a fight in a workplace.”

England Under-21 international Rowe signed for Marseille from Norwich on an initial loan in August 2024, before making the move permanent this summer. The 22-year-old forward, who has three goals in 31 appearances for the club, has been linked to Bologna.

Former Paris St-Germain player Rabiot joined Marseille last September on a free transfer after five years at Juventus, and has scored 10 times in 32 games.

The 30-year-old, capped 53 times by France, has been linked with Monaco and also Manchester United, who are keen to sign a defensive midfielder.

Bbc.com