Papin criticizes former colleague's role

Jean-Pierre Papin, a former Olympique de Marseille striker and 1991 Ballon d'Or winner, has criticized Ali Zarrak for playing a disruptive role during his time as a consultant with the club's reserve team. Papin, who returned to OM in 2023, said he left the club at the end of the 2024-2025 season due to the challenges he faced during his tenure.

Papin's initial experience with the reserve team

Papin described the first year with the reserve team as going "very well," but he noted a change in his relationship with Pablo Longoria, the club's president. He often attended reserve team matches and was concerned about their results, especially after the coach was fired and the position remained vacant for a week.

Papin's strategies and early success

Papin met with Longoria to express his concerns about the team's performance and was told "banco," a term meaning to sit out or not take action. Despite this, he implemented simple strategies, such as running and using a 4-4-2 formation, which helped the team move out of the red zone and finish second behind Istres.

Papin's second year and the arrival of Zarrak

Papin returned for a second year but noted the arrival of a person responsible for the Pro 2 division, which marked the beginning of what he described as a "catastrophe." He accused Zarrak of having decisive control over team decisions, including who should play or be punished, despite lacking football knowledge.

Papin's claims of moral harassment

Papin claimed that Zarrak had the authority to make these decisions and that he warned Longoria multiple times about Zarrak's influence, but nothing changed. He described experiencing "moral harassment" for a year and a half and mentioned an external investigation that was halted without explanation.

Papin's response to rumors about his departure

Papin also criticized the rumors surrounding his departure, which he attributed to people who "know nothing about football" or the club. He expressed regret over the end of his time at OM, which he felt was spoiled by these rumors.