Roberto De Zerbi has disclosed extraordinary details about a violent confrontation between Marseille players Adrien Rabiot and Jonathan Rowe that required bodyguards to separate them whilst a team-mate lay unconscious on the dressing room floor.
The Italian manager described the altercation as a "bar fight" that occurred in front of coaching staff and the sporting director following Marseille's 1-0 defeat to Rennes last Friday.
"It was a bar fight, in front of the sporting director, in front of the coach, with a team-mate on the ground," De Zerbi revealed during a press conference, referring to Darryl Bakola, 17, who had suffered a medical emergency.
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Jonathan Rowe and Adrien Rabiot fought one another in the Marseille dressing room
|PA
The club has placed both players on the transfer list following what president Pablo Longoria characterised as an "extremely violent" incident.
De Zerbi admitted the ferocity of the confrontation left him stunned despite his own tough upbringing.
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"I've never seen anything like it. I come from the streets, I'm used to fights, but I've never seen anything like this," the former Brighton manager confessed.
The Italian revealed that whilst no teeth were broken, the brawl represented something unprecedented in his football career.
"For the first time in my career, I didn't know what to say or what to do," De Zerbi stated.
"The club's bodyguards were trying to separate them. Normally they're supposed to protect us from others, not from ourselves."
The explosive confrontation took place in the away dressing room at Stade Rennais following Marseille's opening day loss, where the hosts scored in stoppage time despite playing with ten men since the 31st minute.
Reports indicate that reporters in the mixed zone could hear the commotion, with tensions erupting after critical comments were exchanged amongst players.
The situation reportedly escalated when 22-year-old Rowe struck Rabiot, prompting a physical confrontation that required intervention from De Zerbi and sporting director Mehdi Benatia.
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Adrien Rabiot and Jonathan Rowe have since been transfer listed
|PA
During the chaos, 17-year-old Darryl Bakola collapsed unconscious, adding to what Benatia described as "a scene of chaos."
Following the incident, Marseille immediately suspended both players before announcing their placement on the transfer list as a disciplinary measure.
Rowe, an England Under-21 international, initially arrived at Marseille on loan from Norwich in August 2024 before completing a permanent transfer this summer, having netted three goals in 31 appearances.
The 22-year-old forward has attracted interest from Bologna following the disciplinary action.
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Roberto De Zerbi was left stunned by the 'bar fight' in the Marseille dressing room
|GETTY
Rabiot's path to Marseille began last September when he arrived on a free transfer following a five-year stint at Juventus, contributing ten goals in 32 matches.
The 30-year-old midfielder, who has earned 53 caps for France, previously played for Paris Saint-Germain before his Italian adventure.
Transfer speculation has linked Rabiot with moves to Monaco and Manchester United, with the Premier League club reportedly seeking defensive midfield reinforcements.
Both players were relatively recent additions to De Zerbi's squad when the violent incident erupted.