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A story of men. During his time at Olympique de Marseille, Mattéo Guendouzi never hid the fact that he had a big crush on Jorge Sampaoli, a coach who knew how to understand him and get the best out of him. After the Argentinian’s departure, the Frenchman sent him a very moving message. A turning point in the midfielder’s Olympian adventure. Indeed, the arrival of Igor Tudor redistributed the cards and the former Arsenal player did not really have a good game in his hands. The Croatian, who was not really a fan of him, used him a little less than his predecessor.
Conflicting relationships
Last season, he played 43 matches in all competitions, including 34 as a starter (5 goals, 5 assists). But his relations with Tudor were cool at best, frosty at worst. For all these reasons but also because he wanted to see something else, Guendouzi joined Lazio during the summer transfer window. Tudor’s departure changed nothing in his fate. In Italy, the native of Poissy scored points and quickly convinced Maurizio Sarri’s team. But the surprise departure of the Italian changed his adventure. To replace him, the Romans relied on…Igor Tudor.
Quickly, we wondered how the two men with strong personalities were going to live together. On March 28, the Corriere dello Sport revealed that the coach and the player met to chat and take a step towards each other. A “pact” had even been sealed. But he didn’t last very long. On the bench against Juventus on March 30, the French international came on and played 11 minutes. Time to deliver a decisive pass for Marusic in added time (90th + 3). To celebrate this goal, Guendouzi turned around before pointing at the bench. The message was more than clear.
A future that raises questions
Since then, the Frenchman, whose attitude towards Roma was not appreciated, has had another clash with Tudor. During Thursday’s session, he left the field with a calf injury (edema due to fatigue in the left calf). But the transalpine media specified that he complained of his pain before stopping his session. Which didn’t please the Croatian. The tone rose and Guendouzi notably criticized him for having aligned him in the substitutes team before leaving the field. This Monday, the Corriere dello Sport returns to this matter.
Thus, we learn that this whole affair is taken very seriously by the Roman leadership. The leaders want to close all this and play mediator. Especially since the CdS indicates that “Guendouzi scares Lazio”. The midfielder, who did not train on Saturday,“wants guarantees after disagreements with Tudor.” Faced with all this, President Lotito and his teams want to resolve the problems and draw a line under the past. Especially since they don’t want the player to have desires elsewhere. Which would already have been the case according to the CdS. To avoid an escape or attacks from other clubs, the idea is to armor Guendouzi as quickly as possible, whose arrival will cost 12 million plus 5 bonus (+ 1 million for the loan). OM is following all this from afar.
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Manu Tournoux is a passionate and knowledgeable football enthusiast with a special focus on French football. Born and raised in France, Manu discovered his love for the beautiful game at a young age and developed a deep understanding of the ins and outs of "Le Championnat." His French roots and extensive experience in football journalism have made him an invaluable asset to the French Football Weekly team.
 
 As an author for the website, Manu's expertise includes not only in-depth analysis of Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 matches but also insightful profiles of up-and-coming talents, detailed transfer news, and engaging coverage of the French national team. His captivating writing style and undeniable passion for the game have earned him a loyal following among our readers.
 
 When he's not crafting engaging articles for French Football Weekly, Manu enjoys attending live matches whenever he can, exploring football culture in various French cities, and engaging in spirited debates with fellow fans. Feel free to follow Manu on Twitter and interact with him as he shares his expert opinions, insights, and love for French football.