Jean-Pierre Papin, legend of OM, revealed in an interview with *L'Équipe* the reasons for his permanent departure from the club in 2025. Former coach of the reserve, he describes a period marked by internal tensions, a progressive weakening of his authority and moral harassment that he experienced for a year and a half. According to him, these difficulties led to an end to his career far from his hopes and to a profound break with the institution that saw him grow up.
After taking the reins of the reserve team in 2024, Papin first obtained an encouraging result: second place, just behind Istres. But the following season was much more difficult. He then accused AliZarrak, then head of Pro2, of having interfered in his sporting choices and of having gradually weakened his position with the group. “He doesn’t understand anything about football, but he has his prerogatives,” says the former striker. He adds that he alerted Pablo Longoria, president of OM, on several occasions, without this resulting in any change. Papin also mentions an investigation carried out by an outside firm which, according to him, was never successful, stressing that he never knew why she was arrested.
Occasional incidents fueled criticism against him. He talks about the presence of his dogs in the team bus, use of the jacuzzi and sauna at the training center after the other members had left, as well as two men in helmets who showed up in front of his home to ask him to quickly leave the club. Papin considers these episodes as attempts to discredit his image and claims that they contributed to “spoiling the end” of his adventure in Marseille.
Despite these difficulties, Papin has no regrets about his career as a whole. What hurts him is the way his story with OM ended. He would have liked a different exit, especially after the departure of Marcelino in September 2023, when he hoped to take charge of the first team. His status as a service provider, rather than an employee, however, constituted an obstacle. He concludes that “playing so many years at OM and ending on gossip fueled by people who know nothing about football, it sucks”, stressing that this end does not reflect the value he has always placed on the club.
Currently, Papin remains away from official OM activities. The club has not announced any concrete measures in response to his accusations, while Papin continues to defend his image and demand recognition of his grievances. The future of the relationship between the Marseille legend and OM remains uncertain, but his testimony clearly suggests a rupture which could influence the internal dynamics of the club in the months to come.