Marseille vs Lens preview - Bielsa plays down reported spat

Marseille boss Marcelo Bielsa has insisted ahead of Sunday's Ligue 1 clash with Lens that his squad's unity has not been affected by the controversy this week involving Andre-Pierre Gignac and Brice Dja Djedje.

A bust-up is reported to have occurred between the two OM players during Wednesday's 2-1 Coupe de la Ligue defeat at Rennes and continued the next day, with forward Gignac said to have punched defender Dja Djedje.

Bielsa, whose team are top of Ligue 1, told French media at his press conference to preview the home meeting with 16th-placed Lens: "It's very common for there to be differences between two players at clubs.

"I never punish players. I believe in compassion more than a punishment.

"I haven't spoken to them. The union of the squad is intact, it hasn't been affected."

Wednesday's game saw Dja Djedje and Rennes' Paul-Georges Ntep both sent off amid ugly scenes.

Reports in France have claimed Dja Djedje was incensed by Gignac urging Ntep to calm down, rather than coming to his team-mate's aid.

The sports newspaper L'Equipe further reported that Gignac punched Dja Djedje on Thursday after being blanked by him.

Gignac wrote on Twitter on Friday: "That some people think I defended an opponent is humiliating for me. I only asked him to stay focused and think.

"It's been explained! Incident closed! I have no friends on the pitch other than my team-mates. That this can be called into question is a disgrace."

Lens boss Antoine Kombouare believes such incidents can actually help the unity within a squad.

Asked about the matter, Kombouare told the French media at his own his pre-match press conference: "It's a joke! You should have seen when I was a player ... It was not a pretty sight!

"That was every week and we did not make a fuss. It is not indicative of anything. Sometimes it's even unifying."

Lens defender Ahmed Kantari feels Marseille will certainly not be weaker for what reportedly happened and has stressed he and his team-mates need to focus on themselves.

"These are things that happen in a big group," Kantari said.

"There is a lot of talk in the press because it was filmed during the match. But I do not expect to see Marseille destabilised.

"I am counting primarily on us, on what we will produce and how we will show the solidarity between us."

Meanwhile, Marseille have announced they have released midfielder Benoit Cheyrou, who has been frozen out this season.