MARSEILLE, France (AP) — Medhi Benatia has resigned as Marseille's sporting director, just days after the departure of coach Roberto De Zerbi.
Benatia posted on Instagram on Sunday to say he is leaving.
“Given the tensions surrounding the (club's) management, I have indeed submitted my resignation,” the former Bayern Munich and Juventus defender wrote. “I do not want my presence to become an obstacle or a burden to the organization and its development.”
Marseille drew 2-2 at home to Strasbourg on Saturday, after leading 2-0, and sits 12 points behind leader Lens in fourth place. That draw followed a crushing 5-0 defeat at Paris Saint-Germain and elimination from the Champions League after a 3-0 loss at Club Brugge.
“I cannot ignore the current climate. I feel a growing dissatisfaction, a breakdown in relations that I deeply regret," Benatia said. "In Marseille, results are the only true measure of success.”
Marseille was for long the only French club to win the Champions League, until PSG's triumph last season.
Marseille has won nine French league titles but not won a trophy since the now-defunct League Cup in 2012.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
FILE - Medhi Benatia talks to journalists during a news conference in St. Petersburg, Russia, June 14, 2018. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
MILAN (AP) — Sweden women’s hockey coach Ulf Lundberg has plenty of confidence in the challenge ahead.
In outlining how fearless his young and talented group has performed in going 5-0 to reach the semifinals at the Milan Cortina Games, Lundberg made a bold suggestion in preparing to face the top-ranked and tournament-favored Americans on Monday.
“(The Americans) are just human beings,” Lundberg told The Associated Press immediately following a 2-0 quarterfinal win over Czechia on Friday. “It’s a fantastic challenge. And I don’t really think that the U.S. team wants to meet us right now.”
While anything is possible in a one-game knockout, the Swedes beating the U.S. would represent a significant upset.
As for Team USA’s response to Lundberg’s comment, coach John Wroblewski said he’s eager and ready to play whoever is next.
“We’re ready to play against anybody, and we’re excited to play anybody,” he told The AP. “I think that the hunger and the gamesmanship of which they’ve shown to persevere through the relegation pool is admirable. And of course we respect that.”
Defending Olympic champion Canada will play Switzerland in the other semifinal, with the winners advancing to the gold medal game on Thursday.
The tournament’s semifinal matchups are the same as the 2014 Sochi Games, when Canada went on to defeat Switzerland and then claim gold on Marie-Philip Poulin’s overtime goal in a 3-2 win over the U.S.
What’s different this time is the dominance the United States has shown in a tournament beginning to resemble more of a coronation for the two-time gold medal winners.
The Americans have won five games by a combined margin of 26-1, including a 5-0 victory over rival Canada. And they haven’t allowed a goal since Barbora Jurickova scored on a breakaway 8:37 into second period in a 5-1 win over Czechia in both teams’ tournament opener on Feb. 5.
The Americans have shown no fear against anyone.
“We have one goal in mind and that’s to bring home a gold medal,” defender Megan Keller said. “So whoever’s in our way, we’re going to focus on ourselves.”
Four years after Canada dominated in winning gold at Beijing, the U.S. has raised women’s hockey to another level with a multi-faceted attack that overwhelms opponents in waves and features a swift, playmaking group of defenders driving the offense.
The U.S. has four players in the tournament’s top 10 in points, with three of them defenders, including Caroline Harvey, who leads all players with nine points (two goals, seven assists).
Wroblewski’s biggest fear is overconfidence.
“There needs to be a lot of respect for the treachery and how fragile it is between success and not. You can’t take anything for granted,” he said. “It’s really good to have confidence because confidence is earned. But we’ve got to make sure that these one-game sets, they’re volatile. ... We’re nowhere near the end.”
The Swedes are on the rise under Lundberg, and feature a young, brash, talented core that includes seven players still competing at the U.S. college ranks. Much like the U.S., Sweden won five games by a combined margin of 20-2, but had a comparatively easier schedule in the Group B bracket.
The team now has a chance to earn its third Olympic medal and first since winning silver in 2006, when Sweden upset the U.S. in the semifinals.
Lundberg’s confidence reflects that of his players, who’ve been instilled with the vision of being honey badgers.
“The honey badger is chasing lions and elephants and everyone away. And they are scared of the honey badger because he or she has a totally (fearless) mentality,” Lundberg said. “And so we need to have that (fearless) mentality, because in Sweden we’re a little laid back and humble. But in the game of hockey, you have to take the lead.”
AP Olympic coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics
Canada's Marie-Philip Poulin (29) celebrates with Sarah Fillier (10) and Renata Fast (14) after Poulin scored against Germany during the third period of a women's ice hockey quarterfinal match at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Sweden's Head Coach Ulf Lundberg gestures during a preliminary round match of women's ice hockey between France and Sweden at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
Team Sweden players jump from the bench to celebrate after they beat Czechia 2-0 in their women's ice hockey quarterfinal match at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
United States head coach John Wroblewski yells to his team during the third period of a women's ice hockey quarterfinal match against Italy at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
US players celebrate at the end of a preliminary round match of women's ice hockey between USA and Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
