Marseille fan goes on hunger strike to protest against defender Leonardo Balerdi

A Marseille fan has gone on a hunger strike in a bizarre protest against defender Leonardo Balerdi.

The 24-year-old joined the Ligue One side from Borussia Dortmund in 2021 after a successful loan spell in the previous season and has gone on to make 85 appearances for the club.

However, it seems as though some sections of the Marseille fanbase aren't too fond of him at the moment and want him out.

The former Boca Juniors man was sent off in the at the weekend in a 2-2 draw with Strasbourg, a result that means Marseille are now 10 points off league leaders Paris Saint-Germain after 27 games played.

His dismissal came in the first half when he was shown a straight red for pulling the shirt of an opponent when he was the last man.

And one Marseille supporter has gone to extreme lengths to show his disdain for Balerdi. He turned up outside the Robert Louis-Dreyfus entertainment centre with a cardboard sign for a one-man protest.

The word 'dehors', which translates to 'out' is present three times - as well as the phrase "Le peuple Marseilles ne veut plus de toi - meaning, "The people of Marseille don't want you anymore."

The message finishes with "respect nous merci", translating to "respect us thank you" and in a video posted by L'Equipe Mathieu Gregoire, staff who work at the training ground as well looked completely confused with what was going on.

He then explained what exactly he was trying to explain the method behind his madness, which has since gone viral on social media.

The fan likely won't get his wish for Balerdi to leave anytime soon, however, as he is contracted to Marseille until 2026.