Marseille (AFP)

Everything was going well at Olympique de Marseille, but the death threats against President Jacques-Henri Eyraud and the anti-mercato exit from André Villas-Boas rekindled tensions that had been forgotten before the 16th finals of the Coupe de France against Granville (N2), Friday in Caen (9:05 p.m.).

Afraid of Granville? Comfortable second in Ligue 1, pleasant in the game, OM are finding their way to the top under the combined action of their Portuguese coach, a team with a team and efficient and discreet management.

But the day of Wednesday cracked this beautiful picture.

In the early afternoon, Villas-Boas set fire a little by repeating that it did not want to lose a player in the winter transfer window, like the recruitment of Paul Aldridge, specialist in the English market and possible chief degreaser , could let him fear it.

The Portuguese linked his destiny to that of Andoni Zubizarreta, in case it was necessary to interpret the arrival of the English adviser as a distrust of the Spanish sports director. And he has not ruled out the possibility of leaving at the end of the season, when he has two years of contract.

Certainly, "AVB" is well aware that "this year, the economic aspect is above the sporting aspect".

"My interest is to retain this group," nevertheless stressed Villas-Boas. "You have listened to Boubacar Kamara (who went before him at a press conference, editor's note): his goal is to stay at OM."

"I come from a school, FC Porto, where the players are not sold without a clause. I am still the most expensive coach in the world because Chelsea paid 15 M EUR (in Porto in 2011, Editor's note. A player remains active, "he said.

- Severe accounting reality -

The management tried to calm the rising swell, ensuring that Aldridge did not come to eat on the plate of "Zubi" but to accompany him.

But the tension born of this exit of the trainer, very liked by the Marseilles public, led to death threats against "JHE" on social networks.

The president complained, a Twitter user apologized after deleting his message, but the damage is done, and the club did not respond to AFP's requests Thursday afternoon.

"The most important thing is to keep the objectives, which I proposed, that is to say the qualification of the Champions League", insisted "AVB", stressing that he had targeted the C1 from the start of season, when not many people believed it.

But the severe accounting reality is there: after three heavily deficit years, OM are threatened by financial fair play and will have to sell players. A qualification in the Champions League, which would bring in at least 40 million euros, might not be enough.

Villas-Boas would like sales to take place only at the end of the season. He adds that if the players continue to shine, they will be worth even more.

A trophy, the Coupe de France, would help in this perspective, in addition to enhancing the coat of arms of the club which has not won a title since 2012, despite a Europa League final in 2018.

"If we have achieved anything, it will stabilize this club," said Villas-Boas. It should not be destabilized too quickly, and especially not by falling against Granville, a National 2 team, on Friday ...

© 2020 AFP