Marseille on Tuesday confirmed that Adrien Rabiot and Jonathan Rowe have been placed on the transfer list due to “unacceptable behaviour” in the dressing room, Afrosport reports.
The disciplinary action stems from a heated altercation between the two players after Marseille’s 1–0 defeat to 10-man Rennes in their Ligue 1 opener on Friday night.
Rennes were reduced to 10 men in the 31st minute after defender Abdelhamid Ait Boudlal received a red card. Despite the disadvantage, the hosts snatched all three points thanks to a late goal from substitute Ludovic Blas.
Reports indicate that Rowe was criticised for a perceived lack of effort, which escalated into a verbal altercation with Rabiot. The exchange reportedly included numerous threats and an alleged slap.
In response, Marseille have suspended both players and confirmed they have been added to the transfer list. The club stated that the decision was communicated to the players on Monday.
“This decision was taken due to unacceptable behaviour in the dressing room after the match against Stade Rennais FC, in agreement with the technical staff and in accordance with the club’s internal code of conduct,” the club statement added.
Friday’s spat enraged manager Roberto De Zerbi, who accused the players of having “small balls”. Speaking after the game, the Italian said, “The others beat us on the pitch, and we come in here and fight among ourselves. You know what that means? That we have small balls. In Marseille, we need to have big ones.”
Rabiot and Rowe, both of whom joined the club last season, were instrumental in helping Les Phoceens finish second in Ligue 1 and secure a return to the Champions League.
Marseille will have a chance to bounce back from their opening defeat when they face Paris FC at the Stade Velodrome on Saturday.
