OFFICIAL: Franck Ribéry departs from Marseille, Champions League

By: Sam | June 7th, 2007

This ain’t a rumour no more, folks, it’s quite true. Midfielder Franck Ribéry has left club and country to pursue a new adventure with Bayern Munich in Germany. Note that this is his seventh new adventure in as many years. And for a guy who was dying to play in the Champions League for the better part of two years with OM, he seems to like the UEFA Cup enough to avoid Europe’s biggest stage.

Ribéry aka Ferraribéry aka Scarface aka tête de cul was presented to the press along with Munich’s other brand-new acquisition, Italian giant Luca Toni whom they obtained from Fiorentina.

Without further ado, however, I present to you the price tag. It’s name is 26 million euros.

No word on what Ribéry has said or done since the conference, but Marseille president Pape Diouf had a good deal to blab about.

Said Diouf (translated from French): We’ve handled (the transfer) with serenity, that of a club who respects its agreements. The same way we refused to let him go last summer, we agreed to open the doors if three agreements were met.

When a player of that magnitude leaves the club, of course he leaves a big vacancy behind him. But let’s not forget Ribéry had a very up-and-down season, with injuries here and rough patches there. Which didn’t disable us from reaching our goals, however.

We’re looking into many potential signings, Ludovic Giuly included. But it’s too early to pinpoint anything. Summer has hardly started.

Well said by the president.

What about you folks? Good deal? Too much money? Bad decision by Ribéry, by Marseille, by Bayern? What should Marseille do with the money? Any other comments are welcome.

Category: France Ligue 1, Marseille (OM), Player News, Team News, Transfers and Player Movement

Tags: Bayern Munich, Bundesliga, Euros, France Ligue 1, Franck Ribéry, Luca Toni, Marseille (OM), Player News, Team News, Transfers and Player Movement

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• jon |  June 7th, 2007 at 4:38 pm

  
  
  

  As a fan who just got interested in soccer with last year’s WC, and specifically the performance of Les Bleus, Zidane, and Ribery, I’m glad he made this move. I’d like to see how he fares in the Bundesliga.

  Posted from United States

  

• Sam |  June 7th, 2007 at 6:58 pm

  
  
  

  Well granted he was going to leave eventually, but if you followed the soap opera he put up last summer about wanting to play in the Champions League, you have to wonder why he went there. Let’s see how he fares in the UEFA Cup. Again.

  Posted from Canada

  

• Corey |  June 8th, 2007 at 5:15 am

  
  
  

  A good piece of business by Marseille, and bad business by Bayern. He isnt worth that much, senesationalism in the press jacked up his price, I mean they rate Malouda at 8 million and Ribery at 26! Pffff

  Posted from United States

  

• Sam |  June 8th, 2007 at 6:19 am

  
  
  

  Hahah, that’s true, but anyone in a sane state of mind knows Malouda is worth at least 20.

  Posted from Canada

  

• Inara |  June 8th, 2007 at 6:39 am

  
  
  

  I really hope Aulas sticks to his guns about Malouda. No deal under 18 million at the very least.

  Posted from United States

  

• Sam |  June 8th, 2007 at 11:09 am

  
  
  

  Well if Malouda pulls a Ribéry on you and decides to leave at all costs for a dumb reason, you could be in for a bitter treat.

  Posted from Canada

  

• sandrahn |  June 12th, 2007 at 11:45 am

  
  
  

  Ribery makes bizarre decisions. I’m a gooner and Wenger has been interested in Ribery for quite awhile now. Last season he turned down several clubs. This season it looked like maybe we might get him. Once it was clear that Marseille would qualify for the CL, we all thought, well that’s it, no chance — he’s got his CL spot, he’s not leaving. So what does he do? He goes to a club that hasn’t qualified for the CL next season! I guess the money was enuf incentive but the guy just never settles down.

  Posted from United States

  

• MadSear |  June 14th, 2007 at 1:24 pm

  
  
  

  I really do believe he has been well advised. Next year Bayern won’t be in the CL but they are in the competition evey season. Plus he’ll be able to be in a club where his shortcomings won’t be as exposed as they are in France (I’m talking november-january) where he just is tired. During that time only the germans will be watching him. BUt he’ll get to shine in the CL and he’ll get to a better level of playing before going to Spain or England when he’s more mature.
  Plus the move is just a great financial operation for Marseille so we may get a very competitive team next year.

  Posted from France

  

• Inara |  June 17th, 2007 at 8:48 pm

  
  
  

  What’s unfortunate for Marseille is that since they sold Ribery for 25m, all other clubs are jacking up their prices for their players, which sucks for OM because they only get 16million now.

  If Marseille got a better sporting director and negotiation staff (Diouf could find better than Anigo), they would have such a better platform for players.

  Posted from United States

  

• MadSear |  June 18th, 2007 at 1:49 pm

  
  
  

  Yeah ! exactly. that sucks because someone like jean Claude Plessis says that if Ribery is worth 26 million, Ziani is worth at least 13.
  I mean Ziani wants to come but probably won’t because of such behavior.

  Posted from France

  

• ahmet galatasaray |  August 12th, 2007 at 11:15 pm

  
  
  

  hey franc ribery unutma ki seni galatasaray bu zamanlara getirdi seni galatasaray keşfetti ,seni hepimiz çok seviyoduk vede seni takımımızın yıldızı olarak görüyoduk ama sen bize ihanet ettin ve bizi terkettin ama şunuda unutma bizim gözümüzde sen hala dünyanın en iyisisin vede öyle kalacaksın EN BÜYÜK GALATASARAY

  Posted from United States

  

• galatasaray |  August 12th, 2007 at 11:21 pm

  
  
  

  hey franc ribery unutma ki seni galatasaray bu zamanlara getirdi seni galatasaray keşfetti ,seni hepimiz çok seviyoduk vede seni takımımızın yıldızı olarak görüyoduk ama sen bize ihanet ettin ve bizi terkettin ama şunuda unutma bizim gözümüzde sen hala dünyanın en iyisisin vede öyle kalacaksın EN BÜYÜK GALATASARAY

  Posted from United States

  

• bakster soccerbum |  January 28th, 2008 at 6:05 pm

  
  
  

  he is the best full stop.

  Posted from Australia

  

• bakster soccerbum |  January 28th, 2008 at 6:07 pm

  
  
  

  Nicolas Anelka sux he cannot just copy Frank Riberys new name , which is Bilal

  Posted from Australia

  

• bakster soccerbum |  January 28th, 2008 at 6:09 pm

  
  
  

  Ribery is the french version of cristiano ronaldo, ronaldinho and Kaka

  Posted from Australia

  

• bakster soccerbum |  January 28th, 2008 at 6:10 pm

  
  
  

  Love him he is gonna be a star and everyone knows it

  Posted from Australia

  

• bakster soccerbum |  January 28th, 2008 at 6:14 pm

  
  
  

  Ribery to Toni and BOOM a goal! Ze roberto to Klose and BOOM a goal, Schweini to Podolski (when he is on) and Boom a goal. what a year for Bayern it will be. Even the towers of Lucio and Van Buyten and skilled defence from Jansen and Lahm and defensive midfields from Hamit Altintop and the great future potential of Sosa and also schlaudraff who should be awarded with more game time

  Posted from Australia

  

• Bakir |  January 28th, 2008 at 6:17 pm

  
  
  

  BAYERN MUNICH RULE

  Posted from Australia

  

• Bakir |  January 28th, 2008 at 6:18 pm

  
  
  

  Bayern Munich Suck

  Posted from Australia

  

• deni soccerbum |  March 23rd, 2008 at 10:33 pm

  
  
  

  woooo bayern munich!!!

  Posted from Australia

  

• deni soccerbum |  March 23rd, 2008 at 10:33 pm

  
  
  

  oi buckettt

  Posted from Australia

  

• Itachi Soccerbum |  March 26th, 2008 at 4:43 pm

  
  
  

  who is Oliver Kahn?

  Posted from Australia

  

• Bim Soccerbum |  March 26th, 2008 at 4:43 pm

  
  
  

  what am i doing?

  Posted from Australia

  

Comments are closed