In the ranks of theOlympique de Marseillethe seasons follow each other and look alike, at the bottom. Because passion and emotion often take precedence over reflection. A year ago, the photograph of the classification was however very distinct from that of today. Laded from the first places, the Marseille club had made a cross on a European qualification after an exercise at 4 trainers failed in large widths.
This 2024-25 campaign brought OM back to altitudes more in line with its ambition, but in Marseille more than elsewhere, it takes more for life to be a long quiet river. Despite a third place that leaves the Roberto de Zerbi team in the nails for its objectives, this final stretch was started on a very slippery slope.
“You are not going to see your families”: the exit from De Zerbi who scandalizes.
There are the results – 4 defeats in the last 5 games (against Auxerre, Lens, Paris and Reims) – and he has everything that generates behind: the reactions, or rather the surrections of each other. After the crusade against the referees and the slippage of Pablo Longoria, there was therefore this beginning of mutiny at the Commandery, marking a real fracture between Roberto de Zerbi and his players after the humiliating underperformance in Reims (1-3). President, director of football, coach and players: all these beautiful people meet at least in their excesses, broadcasting a wind of panic stronger than the Mistral, likely to sweep all the good things of this season. To make it short, OM is shooting in the foot. Once again.
OM: the attitude of Roberto de Zerbi pointed out
Magneto with a little reminder of the facts: the team reports of strong tensions which occurred at the training center at the start of the week. De Zerbi would have told his players that he did not want to train them in order to mark the occasion. An initiative very badly perceived by the group, which would then have considered not put on the crampons for the session, before being brought back to reason by Mehdi Benatia, who came to play the mediators.
But these are not the only acts relayed by the French daily. Throughout the season, several players in the workforce would have been targeted in a fairly vehement way by Roberto de Zerbi, certain episodes turning to humiliation. This does not necessarily concern Mason Greenwood and Luis Henrique, two cases made public by the choices of the Italian, which speak for themselves.
In the private location of the wardrobe, on the other hand, the OM coach would have been very brittle with certain elements, starting with Pol Lirola. The two men would have been violently disputed following the catastrophic performance of the Spanish in Champagne. Of Zerbi would have even launched him in substance: “No one wanted you in this club last summer. I was the only one to believe in you. And you thank me while defending like this? ».
From Zerbi and a player close to coming to hands
Earlier in the season, Roberto de Zerbi would also have had a very offensive attitude with Ismaël Koné. The midfielder loaned to Stade Rennais this winter would even have come to his hands with his coach following one of the many reflections he was the subject of. A discomfort symbolized by the speech held by the Canadian international in the locker room of his new club after his first goal in Ligue 1, scored with Rennes against Angers, Sunday (3-0): “The last 7 months I have experienced have been very difficult …”. These words reason a little more today.
