Olympique de Marseille weren’t as much as it on the pitch in opposition to AJ Auxerre final night time (3-0), however a wave of indignation from the Phocéen membership has come after Derek Cornelius was handed a second yellow and Marseille performed with ten males after going 1-0 down within the first half.
Referee Jérémy Stinat was already the topic of questioning earlier than the sport from the OM hierarchy after a grievance was despatched to the referee arbitration board concerning Stinat’s involvement within the three-month suspension of soccer director Medhi Benatia following the membership’s Coupe de France exit in January. The paranoia and siege mentality on the membership has been rising this season ever since.
In response to a report from , Marseille president Pablo Longoria ‘flew right into a rage’ post-match within the bowels of the Stade Abbé-Deschamps in entrance of a dozen journalists. “That is corruption! I’ve by no means seen something prefer it. You may write it down: Pablo Longoria says it’s corruption,” Longoria reportedly shouted. “All the things has been organised for the reason that third yellow given to Balerdi (suspended this Saturday in opposition to Auxerre). It’s deliberate, it’s rigged. There’s a penalty on Merlin, 4 European referees have informed me so by message, and essentially the most scandalous factor is the purple card to Cornelius.”
Longoria went even additional, within the presence of Benatia, the OM comms division, and different members of workers. “It is a shitty championship, If the Tremendous League involves see us, we’ll go instantly.”
| George Boxall