OM: "Villas-Boas didn't tell me he was going to stay", assures the president of the club

How to say it without saying it? This Friday evening on RMC, Jacques-Henri Eyraud, the president of Marseille, almost admitted with lip service the next departure of his coach André Villas-Boas. Thursday evening, Olympique de Marseille announced that it will separate from its sports director, Andoni Zubizarreta. AVB linked his destiny to that of the Catalan. "I heard him raise a strong doubt about his ability to want to continue without Andoni Zubizarreta in the club today," said the manager frankly. It will be his decision. If André puts his bond with Andoni Zubizarreta above all his relationship with the players, the supporters, what do you want me to tell you? We can hardly be clearer.

Moments later, in case some supporters of Marseille do not understand what is happening, the president of OM drives the point home. “André is the OM coach and I hope he will stay that way. He didn't tell me he was going to stay, notes Eyraud. There are reflections, a context, a timetable. I told you about financial fair play, it is of course an uncertainty. "

The Portuguese technician absolutely does not want to remain the coach of a team that will not have the means to defend its chances in the Champions League, if UEFA does not prevent OM from participating in the competition. There is a doubt. And the boss of the club, who is not its main shareholder, does not hide the questions escorting the OM on this thorny financial and political question: "We are in a long procedure with financial fair play, blows t it at RMC. Until these constraints are lifted, it is difficult to take positions early enough. "

According to Eyraud, OM is not for sale

By the way, Eyraud justifies the departure of Zubizarreta by a phase of the Marseille project: "We are entering a new phase," he says. Obviously, we rely a lot on financial considerations. We absolutely must achieve financial balance. I wanted to strengthen the organization. As of last fall, I had warned Andoni that I would recruit a general manager in charge of football. By speaking with him, we decided by mutual agreement to separate. "

So much for the official version. Unsurprisingly, Eyraud denies a sale by OM, to the Saudis or to others. "It's nonsense, it's fake news. The club is not for sale. According to our information, the club is if its owner, Frank McCourt, receives an offer that meets his expectations.