Belhanda's statements spark controversy in Marseille.

The former Moroccan international Younes Belhanda sparked widespread controversy in France after his statements regarding the situation of Olympique Marseille, considering that the club is no longer one of the top clubs in terms of sports at the present time.

Belhanda said, during his appearance on the French program "After Foot," that Olympique Marseille has turned into an "ordinary team" from a sporting perspective.

In this regard, the former Montpellier player pointed out that the fans of Olympique Marseille must accept this reality, despite the great history that the team carries.

The guest of the "After Foot" program explained: "I understand the fans considering what the club has experienced in the past, and Marseille has one of the best fan bases in France and the world; but from a sporting perspective, it has become an average team."

The 36-year-old Moroccan player added that talking about Marseille's ability to compete with Paris Saint-Germain is no longer realistic, given the significant gap between the two clubs in recent years.

For his part, former Senegalese defender Souleymane Diawara, who won the French league title with Marseille in 2010, supported Belhanda's opinion, confirming that the southern club cannot currently keep up with Paris Saint-Germain.

Diawara also expressed his hope to give the new coach enough time to build a team capable of regaining its luster.

Olympique Marseille is facing additional pressures beyond the sporting aspect, as UEFA imposed a financial penalty of 10 million euros due to violations related to financial regulations, while retaining its right to participate in the next edition of the Europa League.