Mamadou Sakho is no longer Montpelier player as the club have terminated his contract following his fallout with manager Mitchel der Zakarian.
The former Liverpool and Crystal Palace defender fell out with Zakarian during training after the latter refused to award a freekick for a foul on him.
After the training session, Sakho grabbed Zakarian by the neck with fury and knocked him down with a headbutt.
Sources close to Montpellier dressing room revealed Sakho went violent with rage after Zakarian’s comment on the training session fallout.
Sakho has been widely condemned for the reaction. Montpellier began investigation into incident and have now decided to end the contract of the veteran defender.
Montpellier club statement on Mamadou Sakho reads;
“after 10 days of reflection, both parties have agreed in good faith” to end the contract.”
Mamadou Sakho react after contract termination
Taking to his social media, Sakho argued he agreed to a termination of his contract as he was unfairly treated and disrespected by the club. He wrote “I decline all responsibility.”
“You have to know how to leave the table when respect is no longer served.”
There were initial feelers to the fallout between Mitchel der Zakarian and Mamadou Sakho.
Sakho joined Montpellier in 2021 and was key player earning a regular spot at the backline with 43 caps to his belt. Since the arrival of Mitchel der Zakarian, Sakho’s fortune took a wild tumble. He has only made 6 appearances under Zakarian and was unhappy with his condition at the club under the new manager.
It is believed his fallout with the Armenian tactician was not far from his dwindling fortunes at the club.
It is not the first time Sakho has been reprimanded for unprofessional conduct.
In 2016, he was sent home from Liverpool preseason tour after he arrived training late three times. And that was the end of his spell with the Reds.
