The former Moroccan international, Mehdi Benatia, the sporting director of Olympique de Marseille, broke his silence explaining the circumstances of his previous decision to leave the club before retracting and continuing his duties.

Benatia spoke about the period he described as difficult within the club, confirming that he went through complicated days that made him consider leaving, before responding to club owner Frank McCourt's request to stay and continue working until the end of the season.

The former captain of the Moroccan national team clarified that he was not able to leave the club under those circumstances, emphasizing that his decision to stay was driven by responsibility and loyalty, not by a desire for more power as rumored.

Benatia also denied the existence of any conspiracies within the club, asserting that the claims about backstage conflicts are untrue, following the recent developments that ended with the departure of coach Roberto De Zerbi.

He concluded his remarks by affirming his connection to the club and his desire to support it during the current phase, given the challenges the team is facing this season.