In a surprising turn of events, Marseille suffered a humiliating 3-1 defeat against Auxerre at the Velodrome in the opening match of the 11th round of Ligue 1. The loss has put immense pressure on Marseille’s manager, Roberto De Zerbi, who made a startling statement in the post-match press conference.
Auxerre, who entered the match in 10th place, dominated the game from the start. They took an early lead through Lassine Sinayoko in the 10th minute, followed by goals from Gaetan Perrin and Hamed Junior Traoré just before halftime. Marseille’s only consolation came from a Mason Greenwood penalty in the second half.
The defeat is particularly concerning for Marseille, who were in second place with 20 points before the match, just six points behind league leaders PSG. This loss could see them drop in the standings, depending on the results of Monaco and Lille’s upcoming matches.
De Zerbi, visibly shaken by the result, made a surprising offer in the post-match press conference. He stated, “I told President Pablo Longoria that if I am the problem, I can leave. I’m willing to walk away from my contract and all the money I should receive.”
The statement highlights the gravity of the situation at Marseille and the pressure De Zerbi is under. It remains to be seen how the club’s management will respond to this offer and what steps they will take to address the team’s poor performance.
The defeat against Auxerre is reminiscent of Marseille’s recent 3-0 loss to PSG at home, although in that match, they were reduced to ten men early on. This latest setback raises serious questions about the team’s form and De Zerbi’s future at the club.
