Olympique de Marseille manager Bruno Genesio has revealed that the club’s hierarchy ordered him to strip Pierre-Emile Højbjerg of the captaincy following the midfielder’s refusal to join Newcastle United.
Højbjerg started Friday night’s 2-1 friendly defeat against Atlético de Madrid at the Stade Vélodrome, but it was Timothy Weah who wore the captain’s armband for the encounter.
Speaking after the match, Genesio made clear that the decision had not been his own and openly admitted that he disagreed with the move.
“It’s a decision that was dictated to me by the club’s management. If I want to be completely frank, and I will be, it’s not a decision that I agree with. But I’m an employee, I have to comply with certain obligations. We did it,” Genesio told reporters following the game.
The change comes amid tensions between Højbjerg and Marseille’s hierarchy over his future at the club. As reported byRMC Sport, OM were angered by the Denmark international’s decision to reject a move to Newcastle United earlier this week.
An agreement worth around €15m had been close between the two clubs, with Marseille keen to sanction the departure as they continue attempts to raise funds and reduce their wage bill this summer.
Højbjerg’s refusal ultimately saw the deal collapse, depriving Marseille of both the prospective transfer fee and significant savings on one of the club’s larger salaries.
Genesio’s comments now underline the extent of the disagreement behind the scenes, with the Marseille coach publicly distancing himself from the hierarchy’s decision to hand the armband to Weah.GFFN | George Boxall