Mamadou Sakho is leaving Montpellier HSC with immediate effect. The former Liverpool player made the decision after a dispute with coach Michel Der Zakarian
The words Mamadou Sakho shared in a social media statement on Thursday are profound. “You have to know how to leave the table when respect is no longer served,” the 33-year-old wrote in the introduction. With immediate effect, he is leaving Montpellier HSC, the club he had been under contract with since the end of July 2021.
The reason: less than two weeks ago, a dispute between coach Michel Der Zakarian and Sakho escalated. According to French media reports, Der Zakarian is said to have called his protégé a “crybaby” in an exchange of words, whereupon he hit his coach with a broom.
“For the past ten days, there has been a media frenzy around the club because of a ‘clash’ between Michel Der Zakarian and Mamadou Sakho,” Montpellier announced on its website on Thursday evening: “Contrary to the reports circulating, Sakho has not been provisionally dismissed.” Instead, both parties had agreed “after ten days of reflection” to “terminate the contractual relationship.”
“Incident for which I take no responsibility “
Sakho describes the situation a little differently. “Following the incident that occurred last week at the training center and for which I take no responsibility, I decided today, November 2, 2023, to end my collaboration with Montpellier Herault Sport Club,” he clarifies. Sakho has made 46 Ligue 1 appearances (one goal) for Montpellier over the past two years following his Premier League spells at Liverpool and Crystal Palace. This season, he has only made two appearances
Sakho obviously wants to keep fond memories of his time at Montpellier. “I spent two years at this family club, where I enjoyed sharing my experiences at a high level with my team-mates and my ‘little brothers’ from the academy,” said the Parisian-born player.
He expressly thanked the medical staff, the fans and sporting director Bruno Carotti for their “loyalty towards me”. Special thanks went to President Laurent Nicollin, “who, like his late father before him, runs MHSC with the values and principles that are close to my heart. We met as men, we leave as men.” Coach Der Zakarian is not mentioned by name throughout the statement.
He left open how Sakho’s sporting career will continue