Facundo Medina accepts Marseille punishment after 'shit' Lorient performance
Olympique de Marseille defender Facundo Medina has publicly accepted the club's internal punishment following last weekend's defeat to Lorient, while questioning the timing of the disciplinary measures. In an interview with RMC Sport, the Argentine centre-back revealed the squad spent three nights at the club's training centre, the Commanderie, as a consequence of the 2-0 loss.
Medina stated the squad deserved the sanction for their attitude and performance. "After this match, we have the punishment and the sanction we deserve! We are Marseille and we cannot accept this attitude," he said. However, he also expressed sympathy for teammates who have spent significant time away from their families due to international duty and a recent training camp in Marbella, suggesting the timing may have impacted morale.
The 24-year-old defender was brutally honest in his assessment of the match at the Stade du Moustoir. "Excuse my language but the match we played in Lorient was shit," Medina said. He acknowledged that sporting director Medhi Benatia's furious reaction and the subsequent punishment may have upset some players, but he insisted the focus must remain on the players' responsibility. "We can talk about tactics, about whatever you want, it's the players who are on the pitch. And we messed up, we were rubbish."
Medina, who joined Marseille from Lens in 2023, emphasised the need for the squad to regroup with four crucial Ligue 1 matches remaining. Marseille currently sit fourth, two points behind third-placed Lyon in the race for a Champions League qualification spot. "I told the guys that we have to believe in the podium, but that if we don't achieve the objective, at least we do it with guys who give their lives on the pitch," he added.
When asked about the potential for future internal sanctions, Medina stated the squad would accept them. "Maybe some are thinking about leaving, others about staying, some don't know what they're going to do. Me, I am 100% focused on the four matches coming up and if the following week there is another punishment, we will face that too." His comments come amid a tense period for the club, which has struggled for consistency under manager Jean-Louis Gasset.
The defender's public acceptance of responsibility is likely an attempt to draw a line under the incident as Marseille prepare for a critical fixture against OGC Nice this weekend. The club's hierarchy will hope the internal measures, however contentious, can galvanise a squad that has shown occasional fragility this season.
