Marseille President Longoria Faces Disciplinary Action Over Corruption Allegations

Pablo Longoria, president of Olympique Marseille, faces disciplinary action from the French football league after accusing match officials of 'real corruption' following his team's 3-0 defeat to Auxerre. Longoria's outburst was triggered by controversial refereeing decisions, including a denied penalty and a red card for defender Derek Cornelius. His comments have drawn sharp criticism from French Football Federation president Philippe Diallo and the refereeing union SAFE, both of whom labeled the accusations as defamatory and unacceptable. The situation escalated further when reports emerged that referee Jérémy Stinat's home was vandalized following the match. Longoria's remarks reflect ongoing frustrations within Marseille regarding officiating standards, especially after their fifth league loss of the season, which has left them trailing Paris Saint-Germain by 10 points. The disciplinary panel may impose sanctions ranging from a few matches to potentially a lengthy ban depending on the severity of the perceived misconduct.