The agent and mother of Adrien Rabiot has slammed Marseille, accusing the French club of double standards relating to the midfielder and Mason Greenwood.
Long-term Man Utd target Rabiot has been made available for a transfer by Marseille, with reports suggesting he’s about to be ‘offered’ to the Red Devils.
The Ligue Un side have decided to offload the France international after he was accused of being involved in a moment of “extreme violence” with former Norwich City star Jonathan Rowe, who is close to a move to Serie A outfit Bologna.
Rabiot‘s mother, Veronique Rabiot, also acts as the experienced midfielder’s agent and is one of the most outspoken representatives in football.
So, it’s hardly surprising that she has spoken out in defence of Rabiot, accusing Marseille of “lying” about the alleged incident.
“What I can tell you is that I see the facts, the words ‘unheard-of violence, extreme violence,’ it’s very, very strong, in general, it means that there are injuries,” Veronique told La Provence.
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“Here, as far as I know, there were no split lips, no broken noses, no shattered eyebrows. No one is injured, no one went to the hospital, there wasn’t even a doctor’s intervention. We know very well that this is completely false.
“There was no unheard-of violence, there was an altercation. What I can say, and then Adrien will give his version, is that at the beginning, it wasn’t even between Rowe and him, but between Rowe and Geronimo. Pierre-Emile and Adrien came to separate them. And then it went freestyle.
“But all we heard… The coach who has never seen that, while he is always yelling and barking… And, then, he was shocked? There is nothing shocking, it happens in every locker room, it has already happened and it will happen again. The punishment is totally disproportionate. Everyone knows it, they are lying.”
When further asked if she thinks the club decided in favour of De Zerbi rather than Rabiot?, Veronique said: “It’s less problematic to change a player than the coach… Ah, I hadn’t thought of that! Indeed… It’s him or it’s me. Possible.”
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Veronique Rabiot later brought up De Zerbi’s treatment of ex-Man Utd forward Greenwood as an example of the Marseille boss giving a player a “second chance”.
She added: “I just want to remind people that we can’t say ‘unbelievable violence’ if neither player is injured. I want to tell them to show us the footage… I still wonder how we can treat Adrien like this when we know all the sacrifices he made to come to OM. To mistreat him like this after everything he did last season is unbearable. That’s what’s most shocking.
“I didn’t know people could be treated like this. He was so happy to be here, but in the end, they treat him like an outcast, like a bad guy… To think we’ve never seen this is crazy.
“When Greenwood signed after hitting his wife, De Zerbi said we could give him a second chance. I agree with giving people second chances, but is it only my son who doesn’t get a second chance? I assume he doesn’t owe OM anything because he paid in advance. It’s OM who should thank him and not disrespect him.”