‘It’ll be nice to see him’: Rabiot and Rowe face swift reunion after brawl

Adrien Rabiot and Jonathan Rowe were involved in an incredibly violent physical altercation in the Marseille dressing room following a 1-0 defeat to Rennes last month. The fight was so intense that a junior teammate, Darryl Bakola, fainted while witnessing it. Marseille manager Roberto De Zerbi described the incident as unprecedented, comparing it to a brawl in an English pub, and stated that the club had to choose between suspension or dismissal for the players.

As a result, both players were sold during the transfer window—Rabiot to AC Milan and Rowe to Bologna. The severity of the fight and the subsequent dismissals highlight the zero-tolerance approach taken by the club regarding such behavior.

The two are set to face each other again soon, as Milan and Bologna meet in Serie A. This adds a layer of intrigue to the match, especially given the existing tension between the clubs after Bologna’s Coppa Italia victory over Milan in May. Rabiot, who joined Milan for €10m and took a pay cut, is expected to make an immediate impact, reuniting with manager Massimiliano Allegri, with whom he shares a strong past connection.

Despite the violent nature of the incident, Rabiot claims the relationship between him and Rowe remains unaffected. He stated they have been in contact since their moves and that he looks forward to seeing Rowe on the pitch, downplaying the fight as an isolated episode. Rowe has not publicly commented, leaving some uncertainty about whether the conflict has truly been resolved.