It was supposed to be a pre-season friendly, but Marseille vs Aston Villa in France turned into one of the most heated games of the summer, and Mason Greenwood is right at the center of the storm.
The former Manchester United forward, now playing for Marseille, is accused of spitting at Aston Villa’s Amadou Onana during Saturday’s match. The shocking incident has left Villa players, staff, and fans furious, and social media is exploding with debate.
The match began with plenty of physical battles. Greenwood, showing his trademark dribbling skills, fought through challenges from Emi Buendia and Alex Moreno before fouling Onana. That’s when tempers flared. Villa defender Tyrone Mings rushed over, and Greenwood squared up to Onana.
In a video clip shared online, Greenwood appears to spit in Onana’s direction. Onana immediately wiped his face and gestured to the referee as if to say he had been spat on. Within seconds, both teams were in a heated confrontation.
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While the footage doesn’t prove the act 100% clearly, many fans online believe it happened. “Onana wipes his face like he’d been spat on one second after these frames,” one fan posted, showing still images.
Another wrote, “Did Greenwood spit at him too? What’s wrong with the kid?”
Despite the drama, Marseille went on to win 3-1 in front of a passionate Velodrome crowd. Greenwood even scored one of the goals, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang netting twice. Aston Villa’s frustration boiled over, with each team picking up six yellow cards.
Villa moved on quickly, finishing their pre-season with a 2-0 win over Villarreal in Spain before opening their Premier League season against Newcastle.
“I really enjoyed the game and it’s been a good pre-season for us,” Villa striker Ollie Watkins said after the Villarreal victory. “Against teams like Roma, Marseille, and here tonight, we’ve had good tests. This gives us confidence for the weekend.”
Marseille manager Roberto De Zerbi also weighed in after the heated clash. When asked about Villa boss Unai Emery’s complaints, De Zerbi responded sharply:
“He complained to my players. I prefer that he takes care of his players, and I take care of mine.”
De Zerbi admitted the game was fiery but defended the competitive nature.
“People paid to come to the Velodrome when they could have gone to the beach. We have to respect them. There are never truly friendly matches, only games where you must fight to win.”
The controversy has left fans split. Some believe Greenwood’s alleged spit was disrespectful and unacceptable. Others argue there’s not enough proof and that emotions simply boiled over in a tough match.
One thing is certain, if De Zerbi wanted intensity before Marseille’s Ligue 1 opener against Rennes, he got it. The game against Villa may have been labeled a “friendly,” but on the pitch, it was anything but.
With Greenwood now back in the headlines for the wrong reasons, his Marseille chapter begins in fiery fashion. Whether the alleged incident will have further consequences remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the Velodrome clash will be remembered for far more than the scoreline.
