Aston Villa and Marseille played out a feisty friendly at the Velodrome, which saw the French side win 3-1. However, the score of the game has been overshadowed by the behaviour of the players, with Villa's Tyrone Mings clashing with Mason Greenwood.
Villa were level at 1-1 until the introduction of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who scored two Marseille goals in the last 15 minutes. By this time, players' tempers became frayed, with Greenwood's shirt getting severely ripped after a confrontation with Mings. The Villa centre-half stepped in when Greenwood appeared to have a disagreement with Ming's teammate Amadou Onana.
Mings Took Exception to the Antics of Greenwood
Mings' altercation with Greenwood caused something of a melee. Despite his best efforts, Aubameyang could not pull Mings away from the former Manchester United man. The latter's shirt was practically torn from his body and left in shreds. Greenwood has scored 22 goals in 36 games for Marseille, having moved to the French side last season.
Mings was out of the game for over a year after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament in August of 2023. He returned to action last season, but still suffered from a few knee problems. There was no issue with his movement, judging by how quickly he got to Greenwood.
Villa have had a fairly mixed pre-season. While they have beaten Roma 4-0, they have also lost games to Hansa Rostock and Walsall. They open their Premier League campaign with a home game with Newcastle United, with both sides having big ambitions to challenge for honours and qualify for Europe.
Marseille, now under the management of Roberto De Zerbi, kick off their Ligue 1 season against Rennes, but face Paris Saint-Germain in August, which will likely provide the side with a stern test. Both managers would want to see more discipline on the field in the coming weeks, as they look to get off to a good start.