Life is rarely dull at Marseille but even by the standards of France’s most passionately followed football club the weeks leading up to this Thursday’s Europa League clash with Brighton and Hove Albion have been remarkable.

A team that had been unbeaten saw their coach, Spaniard Marcelino Garcia Toral, resign after just seven games in charge following an angry meeting between supporters groups and club directors.

Pablo Longoria, the 37-year-old president of the nine-time French champions, considered quitting after saying he had been threatened during the meeting in question.

He claimed in an interview with local daily La Provence that he and three fellow directors had been told to “resign or it’s war”.

Read full story on sport.timesofmalta.com

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