MARSEILLE duo Adrien Rabiot and Jonathan Rowe were placed on the club’s transfer list Tuesday after a physical altercation following the 1-0 loss at Rennes in the Ligue 1 season opener.
France midfielder Rabiot and England Under-21 forward Rowe were involved in a heated exchange in the team’s dressing room after Friday’s match, which Rennes won with a stoppage-time goal despite playing for an hour with 10 men.
Marseille called the players’ behaviour “unacceptable” in a brief club statement which explained the decision to put both of them up for sale. Rabiot and Rowe were informed of the news on Monday, it said.
Rabiot’s mother and agent, Veronique, told RTL radio earlier on Tuesday that Marseille coach Roberto De Zerbi had taken the decision due to a “lack of commitment”.
Marseille initially denied reports of a fight, but a source close to the club confirmed to AFP a report from French sports daily L’Equipe that said “blows were exchanged between the two men”.
The 30-year-old Rabiot joined Marseille last season after five years with Juventus and helped the club qualify for the Champions League.
It is not his first run-in with club or country though, having left Paris Saint-Germain in 2019 after being sidelined for six months over a contract issue.
He also refused to go on France’s standby list ahead of the 2018 World Cup and was not selected by coach Didier Deschamps for two years as a result.
Rowe, 22, signed from Norwich last year and scored three times in 28 games in his first season in Ligue 1. – AFP