Montpellier defender Mamadou Sakho suspended following altercation with manager Michel Der Zakarian

According to L’Équipe, Montpellier defender Mamadou Sakho (33) has been suspended by the club following a physical altercation with his coach, Michel Der Zakarian. The confrontation occurred after a training session – the 33-year-old defender allegedly grabbed his coach by the collar and executed a sweeping tackle, causing Der Zakarian to fall. This altercation was reportedly triggered by a comment from the coach, who referred to Sakho as a “cry baby”.

On Wednesday morning, an internal investigation was initiated to ascertain the exact details of the confrontation. Minutes after arriving at the Grammont training center on that fateful morning, Mamadou Sakho was served with a temporary suspension, preventing him from participating in training. Following this inquiry, Sakho will be summoned for a preliminary meeting, which could potentially lead to his dismissal. This meeting is likely to take place sometime next week.

L’Équipe also report that during the night between Tuesday and Wednesday, a large and offensive graffiti message was discovered at the entrance of the training center. The graffiti, targeting Sakho and his family, demanded that they leave Montpellier immediately. The club swiftly covered and removed the graffiti. 

The episode between the former Liverpool and PSG man and his manager is expected to signal the end of the defender’s tenure in Hérault, with just eight months remaining on his contract.

GFFN | George Boxall