Marseille Mayor on the Club's New Emblem: "It's Awful, I Hope This Mistake Is Corrected"

In an interview with a local media outlet, Marseille Mayor Benoît Payan didn't hold back his criticism regarding the club's new emblem, which has also been sharply criticized by the French team's supporters.

Officially unveiled by the club on April 8th, OM's new logo is far from receiving unanimous approval. This has also prompted a reaction from the city's mayor.

"It's awful. I've seen many logos, but never one so ugly. This is a mistake and it needs to be corrected," Payan stated in a conversation with "BFM Marseille Provence."

Despite this, the emblem change was thoroughly justified and supported by a large-scale communication campaign from the Marseille club. "Our new logo modernizes our iconic emblem while paying homage to its history. The clear geometric structure brings strength and legibility, while the letter 'M' unfolds freely – reminiscent of the vitality of water, the freedom of wind, and the fire that burns in the heart of Marseille," the club stated on its website at the time.

In practice, however, the new design more closely resembles the logo of a well-known car manufacturer. "Even Volkswagen mocked us by flipping their logo and saying our new logo was the same as theirs," Payan fumed. Indeed, the German car brand joked with OM on its French social media channels. "Friends from Marseille, usually a bicycle kick is done on the field," the company wrote with a touch of irony.

The backlash is so strong that Mayor Payan isn't against reverting to the old emblem. "I think this logo doesn't fully represent Olympique Marseille. Some tell me we'll get used to it. Yes, people get used to everything, but I don't like it," he added.

It remains to be seen whether the Marseille management will agree to take a step back. Fans and former players of the club have already voiced their opinions, notably through sharp banners displayed during the Ligue 1 match against Metz.