Matteo Guendouzi has confronted a fan who has begun a hunger strike in an effort to force Leonardo Balerdi out of Marseille.
Former Boca Juniors star Balerdi, who joined the Ligue 1 giants after a successful loan spell, saw red in the 2-2 draw with Strasbourg at the weekend, which left Marseille 10 points off league leaders PSG. Balerdi was the last man when he pulled an opponent's shirt, which promptly led to him being given his marching orders.
The incident greatly angered one particular Marseille fan, who turned up outside the Robert Louis-Dreyfus entertainment centre with a cardboard sign to announce his protest. The sign included the word "dehors", meaning "out", which was written three times, while it also stated that he would be starting a hunger strike until the player was axed.
It also included the phrase: "Le peuple Marseilles ne veut plus de toi, respect nous merci." That translates as "the people of Marseille don't want you anymore, respect us, thank you." Balerdi has a contract at the Stade Velodrome until 2026 and is unlikely to be going anywhere.
As a result, Guendouzi, who moved to the French side from Arsenal, has stuck up for his team-mate. He took on the fan in a video shared on social media and maintained that "everyone makes mistakes" as he sought to resolve the situation.
Balerdi has been a regular under Igor Tudor and looks poised to remain as such once he has served his suspension. The defender was previously on Borussia Dortmund's books and moved to France after an impressive loan last term, signing a five-year deal after Marseille triggered a buy option in their loan agreement.
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Despite Guendouzi's disagreement with the striking supporter, he has claimed, since joining the club, that they have arguably the best fans in Europe. Last term, he said: "It’s the biggest French club, the one who has won the Champions League, there’s a great history. There’s the strongest crowd in the country, and maybe continent.
"I like playing in a full stadium when at home. I like to feel the true love from the fans for this club. That’s what I found here. I haven’t been this happy since the start of my career."
Marseille are on course to finish in the Champions League spots in Ligue 1 this term. They were eliminated in Europe several months ago after losing a winner-takes-all clash against Tottenham in the south of France. They could still enjoy success in the Coupe de France, having already knocked out PSG, with the semi-finals to come.
