The sudden resignation of Villas-Boas has caught up with Marseille. The French club did not expect the Portuguese coach to make such a decision, after two weeks ago he made his position available for the first time and finally rectified by committing to finish the season. After the departure of Villas-Boas, the sports management of the French club has set to work to find a new tenant for the bench. Three are the names that have transcended in the last hours: Maurizio Sarri, Rafa Benítez and Ernesto Valverde.
Sarri is the first on the list of candidates after he is free after being dismissed on 8 August as a Juventus coach. The experienced coach is completely liked by the French club's sports management, but his hiring seems very complicated at the moment. His character and his experience are valued to face scenarios of maximum pressure.
Rafa Benítez is another coach that Marseille likes. However, the Spanish coach has stated that he wanted to take a year off after parting ways with the Chinese club Dalian Professional FC on 23 January.
Another name that is on the list of candidates that Marseille manages for its bench is Ernesto Valverde. The former Barcelona coach was Athletic's first option to replace Gaizka Garitano, but Txingurri rejected the offer. This option seems quite complicated too, since the Extremaduran coach does not seem to be in for the task of entering such a complicated project in the middle of the season.
The Marseille list is not limited to just these three names, but since the resignation of Villas-Boas there have been several technicians with whom they have contacted from the club's headquarters to find out their predisposition and financial claims.