Marseille have found themselves in the spotlight for an unexpected reason. The club suspended 18-year-old Rayan Hassad, but not for a wild act or a major rule break, but instead, for wishing his teammate Chancel Mbemba a happy birthday on Instagram.
The Birthday Message that led to a suspension of Marseille star
It all started when Hassad (a young player yet to make his debut for Marseille’s first team) posted an Instagram story wishing Mbemba (a former Newcastle and Porto defender) a happy birthday.
What seemed like a simple and friendly gesture soon turned into a significant issue. Mbemba who is now 30 was already in hot water, having been suspended by the club for alleged poor behaviour during training. This made Hassad’s birthday wish more problematic than it appeared.
According to reports from La Provence, via Get French Football News, the post was “the final straw” for the club, which had already noted previous issues with the young player.
Hassad was accused of insulting a teammate and not following instructions which contributed to his suspension.
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The 18-year-old addressed the situation on social media expressing his regret over the incident.
“I was indeed suspended as a precautionary measure by Olympique de Marseille following an Instagram story where I wished a teammate a happy birthday,” Hassad explained. He went on to apologize, stating, “I would like to clarify that at no time did I want to cause harm to my club and its management. It was a simple birthday message, as I usually do with other teammates. If I hurt someone, I apologise, but know that this was never my intention.”
The suspension has sparked debate among fans and pundits with many questioning the severity of the club’s actions.
On the other hand, Mbemba had been an essential part of Marseille’s squad, playing regularly and contributing to their Europa League semi-final run last season. But, new manager Roberto De Zerbi deemed him surplus to requirements, leading to his training with the reserves and eventual suspension.
While the situation unfolds, it remains unclear what the future holds for both Hassad and Mbemba at Marseille.