Why Have Adrien Rabiot, Jonathan Rowe Been Dropped From Marseille's First Team?

Marseille endured a highly disappointing start to the 2025/26 Ligue 1 campaign when they suffered a 1-0 loss to Rennes in their opening match of the season. Despite dominating the majority of possession and playing against a 10-man Rennes side, a late winning goal from the hosts caused Roberto de Zerbi's side to suffer an early setback in the Ligue 1 title race. The defeat caused utmost frustration among the squad, and emotions ran wild between certain individuals, with former PSG and Juventus star Adrien Rabiot and Jonathan Rowe being at the centre of some bitter off-the-pitch drama.

Why Have Marseille Suspended Adrien Rabiot and Jonathan Rowe?

The tensions spiralled out of control between Adrien Rabiot and Jonathan Rowe after Marseille's defeat to Rennes, causing them to get involved in a shocking altercation in the dressing room. It's been reported that they had a serious fight after the match, which included the two players hurling abuses at each other and threatening further escalation against one another. Rowe had reportedly been criticised for not putting in enough effort on the pitch, causing him to react strongly and get involved in the altercation with Rabiot.

Even though Marseille's representatives tried to keep them calm, the dressing room fight went on for quite some time. It's even been alleged that Rowe slapped Rabiot in front of their teammates, with the physical altercation having to be stopped by De Zerbi, his staff members, and even requiring intervention from Marseille's sporting director Mehdi Benatia.

As a result of their violent confrontation, Rabiot and Rowe have now both been suspended by Marseille and dropped from their first-team squad. De Zerbi has banned the two players from interacting with their teammates in training, barring them from practising with his first-team squad or taking part in any activities with the senior squad. However, this is likely to be a short-term suspension as the Marseille representatives aim to make both players donate money to the Marseille foundation as their way of apologising for their actions.

What Have Adrien Rabiot And Jonathan Rowe Achieved At Marseille?

Incidentally, both Adrien Rabiot and Jonathan Rowe joined the Marseille senior squad in 2024. The French midfielder, who has played for the likes of Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus in the past, joined Marseille as a free agent in the 2024 summer window. Rowe was roped in as a loan signing from Norwich City by De Zerbi's squad, before being permanently signed in the 2025 summer transfer window.

Rabiot became an important player in the Marseille midfield under Roberto de Zerbi, making 31 appearances for them across all competitions in the 2024/25 season. He even scored nine goals and provided five assists in Ligue 1, helping them win multiple matches and try to keep up with PSG in the title race. Rowe became a valuable squad player for De Zerbi, often coming off the bench to cause trouble, scoring three goals and providing three assists in 28 Ligue 1 games last season.

Rabiot and Rowe will now have to work extremely hard to regain the confidence of their teammates and the Marseille fans after their shocking behaviour in the dressing room. They are, however, likely to miss Marseille's next game against Paris FC on 23 August (2025) because of the suspension.