Roberto De Zerbi held a fiery press conference ahead of Olympique de Marseille’s upcoming match against RC Lens, firmly addressing speculation about his future with the club. Following a disappointing loss to Auxerre, De Zerbi had previously stated, “If the problem is me, I am ready to leave my salary here and go.”
In the latest conference, he emphasized the importance of daily performance, saying, “The moment of truth for me is every day, not just the matches but also the training sessions. Tomorrow is a match worth three points, not twelve. We know what we need to do to perform well and erase our mistakes. It’s an important match, and our goal is to do well and win.”
Reflecting on the team’s recent struggles, De Zerbi noted the challenges posed by injuries, revealing that they have had to train with seven or eight fewer players. “We have focused on physicality rather than tactics,” he explained. “We have a strong team and know what we must do to progress—both I and the players, as well as the club.”
Addressing rumors about his potential departure, he clarified his stance: “After the Auxerre match, I did not use strong words; I simply took my responsibilities. I take responsibility for myself, my players, and the club in general. We did not accept the match against Auxerre; we were not sufficient on the field. I cannot accept that in five home games we have only one win, two draws, and two losses. If you believe that I will resign or that this is my idea, I want to emphasize that I am not running away; I did not flee from Shakhtar even when Putin launched bombs on Kyiv. I believe in this OM, in the players I coach, and I am not going anywhere.”
De Zerbi also discussed Adrien Rabiot’s impact on the team: “For me, he is truly a discovery—not just as a player but as a person. He is a champion who possesses this adolescent humility, so to speak. He loves football and has a passion for it. We are fortunate to have a player like him, as well as Hojbjerg. I always strive to put players in the best possible conditions. This is a group that has played together for very little time; we are happy with Rabiot as he has already managed to become an important player for us.”
