Marseille have suspended head coach Andre Villas-Boas after the Portuguese publicly called the club out on their performance in the winter transfer market. The “suspension” is widely believed to be the first step towards the eventual sacking of the coach.
“This protective decision had become inevitable given the recent scheming and attitudes shown which have seriously damaged Olympique de Marseille as an institution,” read a club statement announcing the suspension.
“I don’t want anything from Marseille. I don’t want money,” said Villas-Boas, who was named boss in 2019.
“I’m waiting for an answer, it could be no and then we would continue. I don’t want any money, I just want to leave.”
Marseille signed Olivier Ntcham from Scottish Premiership club Celtic on deadline day to replace the outgoing Morgan Sanson, who sealed a transfer to Premier League club Aston Villa.
On Ntcham, he said: “The transfer window finished with the arrival of a new player. A decision which wasn’t taken by me. I had nothing to do with this decision.
“In fact I learnt about it in the press this morning. It is precisely a player for whom I said no [to signing]. He was never a player on our list.”
Marseille currently find themselves 9th in the Ligue 1 table, with two games in hand on the rest of the league. Should they manage to secure the six points available, they could move up to sixth, ahead of Rennes.
