Olympique de Marseille have said Morocco’s Mehdi Benatia will stay on as sporting director until the end of the season, just days after he offered to step down.
The club’s owner, Frank McCourt, said Benatia will now be in charge of all football decisions, including choosing the next head coach. The role of club president Pablo Longoria has been reduced. The club says the changes are meant to bring calm and clear leadership.
Marseille have had a tough few weeks. They went out of the Champions League and suffered a heavy defeat to Paris Saint-Germain. Italian coach Roberto De Zerbi has also left.
There have also been tensions between fans and the club’s leaders.
Benatia, a former Moroccan international defender, is now the main figure in the club’s football project. He will lead the search for a new coach and work on improving the team for the rest of the season. The aim is to finish high enough in the league to return to European competition next year.
The decision shows a clear change in how the club is run. McCourt has given Benatia full control over football matters, ending confusion over shared responsibilities with Longoria.
Benatia is seen as someone who has the trust of many fans, which could help ease tensions during a difficult time.
His first job is to pick a coach who can deal with the pressure at Marseille and rebuild the team’s style of play. He will also need to review the squad and decide if changes are needed in the next transfer window.
