Longoria: “They told us to resign or there will be war”

Pablo Longoriawho descended from the presidency of Olympique de Marseilleassured this Thursday to the newspaper ‘La Provence’ that he did not resign, but considered that “the limits have been exceeded” in a very tense meeting on Monday with representatives of the ultra club.

“What happened on Monday is unacceptable. What happened is the result of things that have been going on for a long time. Limits have been crossed,” declared the Spaniard in a long interview, in which he also assured that “naturally” he remains . the president of the club and never submitted his resignation to the owner, Frank McCourt.

In the hours after Monday’s meeting, OM’s entire management withdrew and none of the club’s key leaders were present in Amsterdam, where the team faces Ajax today. Coach Marcelino, a close friend of Longoria, left the club. “I spoke for two minutes, then they cut me off and quickly lost control… They told us: ‘You four (Longoria, football director Javier Ribalta, general director Pedro Iriondo and financial director Stéphane Tessier) resign.’ , otherwise it’s war,'” Longoria explained.

“The limits have been exceeded. In 2023, a manager of any club cannot suffer these threats. I do not accept them. I am not afraid, but I am surprised, I consider it not normal,” added he.

The OM president also dismissed any accusations of “cronyism” and financial misappropriation. “To protect myself, I have to ask the McCourt group (which owns the club) to audit all our operations by an independent company, to prove that we are transparent. I gave all my bank account, my phones, my emails, everything. … “We’re clean!” he pointed out. And he added: “I represent an institution. I have a mandate granted by the owner and the supervisory board. “I must fulfill my responsibilities.”