Marseille boss makes Ethan Nwaneri decision as fans protest and French media react as one

Arsenal loanee Ethan Nwaneri spent the entire match on the bench for the first time since joining Marseille as the Ligue 1 side drew 2-2 with Strasbourg amid fan protests

The French media has slammed Marseille's chaotic situation following their 2-2 home draw against Strasbourg, which Arsenal loanee Ethan Nwaneri did not play a part in. The Marseille team were met with empty stands, anti-management banners and boos from their own supporters at the Stade Velodrome before Saturday's Ligue 1 clash even began.

Under new interim manager Jacques Abardonado, they were close to securing a crucial victory after Mason Greenwood and Amine Gouiri scored to establish a 2-0 advantage for the hosts. But their lead was cancelled out in the late stages of the second half as Strasbourg's 97th minute penalty meant Marseille lost out on two important points.

In what would surely have disappointed the Arsenal youngster, Nwaneri spent the entire 90 minutes on the bench for the first time since he joined the Ligue 1 side on loan last month.

Ensure our latest sport headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as Preferred Source in your Google search settings

After a positive start in Marseille's colours, where he found the net on his debut, Nwaneri's loan spell seems to have taken a difficult turn, mainly because of the turbulent circumstances surrounding the club.

Eurosport France said after the Strasbourg draw that Marseille was going through an "institutional crisis". The publication noted how Abardonado’s tactics had been to try to counter but the team backed off too much in the latter stages, ultimately being punished by conceding their seventh stoppage-time goal of the campaign.

READ MORE : Arsenal news: Mikel Arteta receives warning as Myles Lewis-Skelly concern addressedREAD MORE : William Saliba was furious at Arsenal treatment – but it bodes well for Ethan Nwaneri

L'Equipe described the outcome as "a mixture of sadness and clarity", claiming Marseille had failed to address long-standing defensive weaknesses. The outlet also questioned the team’s mental resilience, while criticising the manager for not responding to Strasbourg's quicker tempo in the second half.

It was perhaps a worrying indication for Nwaneri of what lies ahead under Abardonado, who labelled his squad as "wounded" upon his arrival and insisted he wanted to "win the fans back" with a dominant display.

It marked his first fixture at the helm, having replaced Roberto De Zerbi, who left by mutual consent last week. The writing appeared on the wall for De Zerbi at Marseille after his side were eliminated in the Champions League’s league phase. A humiliating 5-0 mauling by rivals PSG proved to be his final match, with the loss leaving Marseille 12 points behind the Ligue 1 leaders.

De Zerbi took control of Marseille in the summer of 2024 following his equally sudden exit from Brighton. He led them to the runners-up spot in Ligue 1 last season and played a key role in Mikel Arteta's decision to loan Nwaneri out to Marseille.

The Italian's tactics and track record of developing young talent seemed a good match for Nwaneri, who needed consistent playing time crucial for his progression that Arsenal couldn't provide for much of this season. De Zerbi had repeatedly called for a No.10 to be signed and Nwaneri appeared perfectly suited to bring some creativity to the team.

However, with the Italian's departure, it's unclear whether the 18-year-old will have the chance to make his impact in France under the new manager. Adding another element of frustration to his loan move is the fact three players who were ahead of him in the pecking order in north London - Martin Odegaard, Kai Havertz and Mikel Merino - have been struck by injury since his departure, leading to debate among fans over whether it was the right call to let the attacking-midfielder leave in January.

Yet, Arteta insisted it was the right decision to send the teenager to France, in spite of De Zerbi’s unexpected exit.

The Spaniard said: "After making the decision, who could have predicted that Mikel was going to be out for five months and Kai? It’s unfortunate, in the end we have to make the decisions in the moment, understanding the context there.

"The best decision for the club, for Ethan, was for him to go and experience a different environment, have minutes played, and get ready to come back to us."

When asked about the potential impact of De Zerbi's departure, Arteta responded: "I cannot control that, again it’s a decision, and that’s part of playing on loan, and that’s part of a journey of a football player.

"So you’re going to have to work with different coaches, and that can happen any moment, you cannot control that, you cannot avoid that. For sure one of the reasons [Nwaneri was sent to Marseille] was Roberto, but as well it was Marseille, and what Marseille as a club and as an environment brings to Ethan, and I think that’s going to be still very positive."

Following his breakthrough in the 2023/24 season, Nwaneri has made 51 senior appearances for Arsenal. During this period, he has found the back of the net ten times for the Gunners.

Click here to read article