Crisis in French football: Pablo Longoria met with Sports Minister Marie Barsacq

A second mea culpa for Pablo Longoria, and this time, in front of the Minister of Sports. The president of Olympique de Marseille was received this Tuesday, February 25, early in the afternoon by Marie Barsacq in Paris, a few days after her outburst during the Ligue 1 match between her club and Auxerre. A long-standing meeting but which was an opportunity for the former Paris 2024 manager to return to this episode.

On many occasions, in the corridors of the Abbé-Deschamps, Pablo Longoria had cried foul against what he then called a "shitty championship", which he accused of being "corrupt". The reason: his disagreement with the refereeing during this match, and in particular the expulsion of Derek Cornelius for a second warning.

According to our information, the Minister of Sports took advantage of this meeting to warn Pablo Longoria that such behavior was to be prohibited. She also reminded him of the duty of exemplarity, particularly towards supporters and young people who follow football, imposed on him by his status, with regard to a refereeing body already subject to certain harassment .

As he had done publicly on Monday morning in an interview with AFP, the Spaniard has once again regretted his remarks. "I am very self-critical with myself, I cannot accept giving this type of image. A club president cannot behave like that . Nothing justifies the form and I am not happy with myself," Longoria had expressed to our colleagues, finally assuring that "there is no corruption in French football."

As we reported earlier in the afternoon, all the referees in L1 and L2 - 111 men and women officiating in both championships - have decided to collectively take legal action following the accusations of corruption made by the OM boss on Saturday . Marie Barsacq is expected to meet with representatives of the profession in the coming days.