Aston Villa and Marseille faced off in a heated friendly at the Velodrome, where the French side came out on top with a 3-1 victory.
The final score was quickly overshadowed by a tense exchange between Tyrone Mings and Mason Greenwood, which sparked drama late in the match. ..Continue Reading
Villa had held the game at 1-1 until Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang entered and netted twice in the closing stages to seal the win for Marseille.
As tempers flared, Greenwood’s shirt was badly torn during a scuffle with Mings, who had intervened after Greenwood appeared to argue with Amadou Onana.
The confrontation escalated into a brief melee, with Aubameyang unsuccessfully trying to separate the two players. Greenwood’s jersey was left shredded, highlighting the intensity of the clash.
Since joining Marseille last season, Greenwood has been in fine form, scoring 22 goals in 36 appearances.
Mings, meanwhile, is still finding his rhythm after a long injury layoff due to an ACL tear in August 2023, though his swift reaction in the incident showed no signs of physical hesitation.
Villa’s pre-season has been a mixed bag — a dominant win over Roma was offset by defeats to Hansa Rostock and Walsall.
They begin their Premier League campaign at home against Newcastle United, with both clubs aiming to push for European qualification.
Marseille, now led by Roberto De Zerbi, kick off their Ligue 1 season against Rennes and face a tough test later in the month against Paris Saint-Germain.
Both managers will be hoping for cooler heads and sharper focus as the competitive season gets underway.
