Medhi Benatia faces Pierre Ménès criticism on Canal+

Medhi Benatia’s move into television analysis has been challenged by Pierre Ménès, who questioned whether the former Marseille football director should be appearing as a football consultant after his time at the club. Benatia began working for Canal+ earlier this month, including on European club competition broadcasts.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ménès argued that Benatia might not consider himself responsible for what happened at Marseille. He also suggested that this belief could make the new television role easier for him to accept. Ménès was absent from his defamation trial earlier this week.

Benatia’s background gives him several qualifications for the position. He played at the highest level, has an extensive network in football, is comfortable in front of the media and has already gained experience as a match commentator. His first such assignment came during the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon, when he worked with beIN Sports on Morocco’s matches.

He returned to that role at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. His Canal+ appointment therefore extends an existing media career, while Ménès’s remarks have placed renewed focus on Benatia’s disputed period at Marseille.