Olympique de Marseille is going through a zone of turbulence. After the frustrating defeat in the Champions League against Sporting, followed by a setback against Lens, a disappointing draw against Angers and an indigestible performance despite the controversial defeat against Atalanta (0-1), OM “are not playing well” and Roberto De Zerbi readily admits it. On the eve of the crucial reception in Brest, the atmosphere was therefore at the center of the questions. And the answers given this Friday at a press conference by Timothy Weah and his coach revealed two diametrically opposed visions of the situation.
Weah doesn’t understand the word “crisis”
Returning from injury, the American international was particularly surprised, even annoyed, by the ambient pessimism around the club. “ I read that it’s a total crisis and I don’t understand anything,” he said, visibly surprised. “It’s not like we’re 10th, we are two points from Paris. We don’t get the results we want but it’s not the end of the world. » For him, “all the noise is outside”, but internally, “everyone is calm” and the group remains focused on its work, aware that it is necessary to “raise the level”.
De Zerbi assumes his “share of responsibility”
Unlike his player, Roberto De Zerbi did not shy away from his responsibilities. Lucid on recent performances, he admitted that “ criticisms of the quality of the game are justified over the last three matches, I say it without shame and I take my share of responsibility. » The Italian coach also made a mea culpa on his management of turnover, which he justified by the need to avoid injuries, but which could have broken the dynamic. “ Some say I change the lineup a lot, but do you think I change it because I’m confused or because I don’t want to make the injured situation worse? » he retorted, while recognizing the current difficulties.
The coach defends his players and tackles criticism
If De Zerbi criticizes himself, he remains a shield for his players. He defended Igor Paixão, criticized for his lack of dribbling against Atalanta, recalling that he “plays a lot” and that he was “not very well physically”. He also criticized the analysis of the match in Lisbon, where he believes that his team was unfairly criticized even though they were playing with ten men. He even recalled being “annoyed” by the criticism after the victory against PSG, proof that the result should not mask honest analysis.
Time for remobilization against Brest
Despite the accumulating injuries (Balerdi, Kondogbia, Traoré, Medina, Gouiri, etc.), De Zerbi and his players know that they no longer have the right to make mistakes. The coach recalled the importance of this match against Brest, which could allow OM to regain the lead in the championship in the event of a victory, taking advantage of the direct confrontations between their rivals. “If we win tomorrow, we will be first,” he reasoned. The Brest reception is the perfect opportunity to put words into action and prove that the “crisis” only really exists externally.
