Chancel Mbemba is not part of the plans of Roberto De Zerbi and the Marseillewhich is why the club asked him to find a place before the end of the transfer market. In recent days there had been speculation about his move to Rennes, but the Congolese refused. The possibility of a transfer to Nice, another club that was interested in him, also faded. In the meantime, the defender had been selected to take part in a match of the reserve team, but yesterday he was actually “fired” following an argument with Ali Zarraqright-hand man of Medhi Benatia.
As reported by The Provencein the locker room, after the friendly played by the OM youth team against Grasse, an argument broke out between the two with very heated tones from the start. Mbemba made it clear to the manager that he had no intention of playing the next match with the reserves, but he went much further. Below is a transcript of the conversation reported by the newspaper:
Chancel Mbemba: “I’m warning you, cousin, I’m not coming to your shitty game next week where we’ll have to travel four hours.”
Ali Zarrak: “You call me cousin? That’s a bad start… Listen Chancel, this is neither the way nor the place. We’ll see next week where we are. And if they call you, I’ll ask you to answer.”
Chancel Mbemba: “You don’t know me, cousin. Next Thursday is my birthday, so on Friday (the day of the match against Villefranche, ed.), I’ll hurt myself here and there… (he shows his right and left foot, ed.)”.
Ali Zarrak: “(His tone rises, ed.) I warn you, Chancel, I am not your cousin. When you address me, you speak to me with respect, you call me Ali, not cousin. Okay?”.
Chancel Mbemba: “Your name is Ali, but you are African. So I will call you cousin. And I will call you cousin if I want.”
Ali Zarrak: “Chancel, this is the last time you call me cousin. Let’s forget it and I’ll count on you for next week’s game if you get called up.”
Chancel Mbemba: (Miming a middle finger, then another, ed.) “Here, it’s for you and your president.”