The incident occurred on wednesday night at the Robert Louis-Dreyfus training center, known as La Commanderie. Marseille's management had mandated the entire squad to stay together there, aiming to address their recent poor form.
According to L’Equipe, Aubameyang led a group of about 10 players in a party at the facility. The 36-year-old reportedly sprayed a fire extinguisher at Bob Tahri, a representative of the club's sporting director, as well as his bed and personal belongings. Tahri, a former track and field athlete tasked with supervising curfew, was reportedly furious and immediately reported the incident to Marseille's management.
Aubameyang later apologized, explaining he only wanted "to liven up the atmosphere." However, management dropped the forward from Marseille's squad for the 10/5 Ligue 1 round 33 match against Le Havre.
Despite being Marseille's second-highest scorer this season with 13 goals across all competitions, Aubameyang has scored only one goal in his last nine matches.
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Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (right) and Mason Greenwood playing together for Marseille. *Photo: MAXPPP*
Beyond Aubameyang's actions, many Marseille players were also accused of leaving their rooms messy. The atmosphere at the training camp was described as "more like a summer camp than a professional training center."
This internal crisis unfolds as Marseille has declined sharply since coach Roberto De Zerbi left the club in february. De Zerbi now manages Tottenham Hotspur.
Marseille has won only one Ligue 1 match since 13/3, falling to 7th place and almost losing their chance to qualify for next season's Champions League.
Coach Habib Beye and the management hoped the "mandatory live-in" measure would help players change their attitude after the team's continuous disappointing performances.
However, this decision has also sparked controversy. Labor lawyer Pierre Vignal stated that forcing players to stay at the training center could be considered harassment and an infringement on their freedom of movement. "In a normal work environment, this is completely unreasonable," he told RMC.
Recent poor form has subjected Marseille to intense criticism from French media and fans. Mason Greenwood became a focal point after the 0-3 loss to Nantes, a match where local newspapers gave the entire team a 0-rating.
According to L’Equipe, Greenwood was also accused of skipping French lessons and not fully participating in the club's mandatory medical treatments.
By Hong Duy (via Daily Mail)
