Olympique Marseille president Pablo Longoria has been handed a 15-match suspension after he publicly criticized the refereeing in his club’s 3-0 loss to Auxerre, calling the referee “corrupt” and disparaging the quality of France’s top football division.
The suspension, which will rule him out of Marseille’s push for a Champions League spot, was announced by the French football league’s disciplinary panel on Thursday.
Marseille responded to the sanction with a statement expressing Longoria’s continued commitment to the club’s long-term project and to promoting French football both nationally and internationally. Despite the suspension, the 39-year-old remains determined to lead Marseille forward.
The controversy stemmed from Longoria’s furious response to referee Jérémy Stinat’s decisions during the match, including the refusal to award a penalty to Marseille and a red card for defender Derek Cornelius. Longoria’s sporting advisor, Fabrizio Ravanelli, also condemned the officiating as “scandalous,” resulting in a three-game ban for Ravanelli.
Two days after the incident, Longoria issued an apology for his choice of words, acknowledging that the form of his criticism was inappropriate. He clarified that his use of the term “corruption” was not intended to imply financial wrongdoing but expressed regret for the impact of his comments.
This was not the first time Longoria had been warned for criticizing referees. In January, the French Football Federation’s ethics council had already reprimanded him for similar remarks following a match against Strasbourg.
His failure to heed the warning and subsequent outburst led to his 15-match suspension, which will extend into the 2025/2026 Ligue 1 season. During the ban, Longoria is prohibited from accessing the touchline, changing rooms, and other restricted areas.
Marseille’s loss to Auxerre left them 10 points behind Ligue 1 leaders Paris Saint-Germain, while PSG stretched their lead with a 3-2 win over Lyon.
