Roberto De Zerbi Eager for Second Season at Marseille
It's almost the end of July and you're still on the Marseille bench... that's rare. A coach staying for two straight seasons hasn’t happened in five years. Was staying an obvious choice, or something you had to think about?
Nothing is ever obvious for me—I work on instinct. But it felt natural. We ended the season well, I think we did a very good job, we rebuilt everything. Marseille is the ideal place for me—the city, the passion for football—it fits me perfectly.
You’ve always said Marseille is a special club, even before you arrived. But did anything about it surprise you?
I can say it with pride—because it’s true—I really wanted this job. I was born in 1979, I grew up watching football in the early '90s, and I clearly remember Marseille in the Champions League finals in 1991 and 1993. I remember the Marseille team with (Chris) Waddle—he’s the player who made me fall in love with the club. When I coached Maxime Lopez at Sassuolo, we always talked about Marseille. I wanted this job because the club’s footballing identity is so close to mine. The city lives and breathes football, full of highs and lows. Sunday’s match is a reward for the city’s week—and for me too. That 90 minutes validates all the work, the sacrifices. In that moment, I feel fulfilled.
The emotions are intense in Marseille—joy, crisis, always close together. Do you enjoy that?
It depends on your personality. If football means more to you than just a sport, then you’re looking for something that fills your life. That’s what football has always been for me—not just a game or a job, but something that gave me pride, dignity, social revenge, a way to express my character. Football helped me become who I am. And I think it’s the same for Marseille. The club gives meaning to the city. Would Marseille be the same without OM? Would I be the same without football? That’s what connects us. I feel at home here—this city reflects who I am.
Isn't it exhausting, being in such an emotional environment? Don’t you ever want a break?
That moment hasn’t come yet. Maybe because results don’t affect me as much as other things—like dishonesty. Lies in the media, with players, with executives—that’s what wears me down. A relationship can be tense, but still honest. What drains me is when people aren't transparent. But pressure, results, stress? I’m used to that—I even seek it out. I get more stressed on vacation than I do when I’m working.
There were moments you seemed tense this season—like after the loss to Auxerre in November. You talked about leaving. Was that real?
It wasn’t about quitting. It was about taking responsibility and sending a message—especially to the players. If we can’t perform at the Vélodrome, it means I’m not doing my job. I wanted to shift the attention away from the team. After a 3–0 loss at home, if you focus on that game, everyone blames the players. So I took the hit. But I never planned to leave. That’s not who I am. When the war broke out in Ukraine, we were all hiding in a hotel basement. The president, the CEO, the sporting director—they were all gone. The only ones who stayed were me and my staff.
Why do you think the Vélodrome intimidates players?
It’s a unique stadium. The noise is different—it’s not like San Siro where everyone sings the same song. At the Vélodrome, six or seven different supporter groups chant at once—it creates this overwhelming sound. And many of our players—Greenwood, Luis Henrique, Brassier, Wahi, Rowe—had never played for a big club at the top of the table. That took time.
Did you need to push them harder?
We took a three-day trip to Mallemort, which was crucial. We talked about who we wanted to be, our values, our identity. Some players opened up. For me, it was never about being out of shape or new to tactics. If you’re different in training at La Commanderie than you are in matches, it’s not physical—it’s mental. That’s what we worked on. It was the first in-season retreat of my career.
Players say you teach them things they’d never learned before. Even veterans like Rabiot. How?
I try to make them think. I want them to find solutions themselves. When I played, I hated being told exactly what to do. I liked having options and choosing based on understanding. I do the same with my players. I don’t give orders—I ask questions. For example: "If you pass to this foot versus that one, does it change anything?" They say yes, and I ask why. If they’re right, I say, "Exactly." That’s how I help them grow. Everyone wants players with personality—but you have to nurture it.
You’re very precise about ball movement, especially from the back.
Yes, I have principles—on positioning, movement, and when to pass. But again, I want them to understand the why. It’s not "Do this." It’s "What happens if you do this versus that?" They have to feel ownership. That builds team unity and intelligence.
You’re judged by results—but you also want to entertain the fans, right?
I grew up in the stands. My father was part of Brescia’s ultras. That shaped me. I was a No. 10—I loved the ball, creativity—but also sacrifice and character. Winning through grit is satisfying, but I wouldn’t choose that every time. If I need to, I’ll even play two goalkeepers to hold a result. But I want more than that.
You’re playing in the Champions League this season. Is that a source of pride, or just normal for OM?
It should be normal—considering the city, the club, the fans. But based on recent results, it hasn’t been. I think we had a great season last year. Sadly, we couldn’t compete with PSG—but no one in Europe really did. I think back to last summer’s preseason—we had very few players, the club wasn’t fully rebuilt. Pablo and Medhi have done a lot. We want Champions League qualification to become routine. That’s the goal. It’s not easy—Monaco, Lille, Lyon, Nice, Strasbourg, Lens, Brest—but it’s what we’re aiming for: to qualify and have a strong European campaign.
What would a good Champions League look like?
Hard to say now—we still don’t know what the full squad will be. The transfer window isn’t over.
Are you happy with it so far?
Yes. We’ve kept key players—Höjbjerg, Rabiot, Greenwood, Balerdi—and even Rowe, who wasn’t a starter but is valuable. We added two very strong young players: CJ Egan-Riley (22) and Angel Gomes (24), both free agents. Those were Benatia masterstrokes. And Medina fits the Vélodrome perfectly. But there’s still work to do.
Was keeping core players your main priority?
Yes. And they had options. Rabiot had serious interest—but he acted like a gentleman, didn’t even consider them. Same for Höjbjerg and Balerdi. I don’t know if they talked to each other about staying, but it made me happy.
Did Rabiot surprise you?
A lot. Italian media portrayed him very differently. But he’s humble, shy, reserved, hardworking. He’s passionate, lives for football. I met his mother—she’s sincere, emotional, and his brothers too. It’s a good family. He’s a true professional.
Valentin Rongier was important. He’s leaving for Rennes. Was that an issue?
Not really. After the Lyon game in January, we decided to bring in Ismaël Bennacer. Pablo, Medhi, and I all agreed to offer Rongier a two-year extension. It was the right thing to do. Even with Bennacer arriving, we wanted Rongier to know he was still central to our plans. The offer was made—it was good, Medhi said—but he turned it down. With a year left on his deal, it’s no longer about football. That’s not my domain. It’s a shame—he was a great fit for Marseille.
OM haven’t won a title in 13 years—other clubs besides PSG have. Why not OM?
We want to compete with PSG better than we did last year. I’m not saying PSG is bigger than OM—but they’ve been stronger. Look at the record: PSG-OM in 23 matches—19 PSG wins, 3 draws, 1 OM win. That’s not a rivalry. If people want to call it Le Classique, go ahead. But let’s be honest. PSG, even without Mbappé, Messi, Neymar, were stronger—more of a team. Luis Enrique did a great job.
Where can OM still improve?
We have a real team, but we’re inconsistent—typical of Marseille, maybe of me too. If we can become more consistent, we’ll take a big step forward. One key project with Medhi is not just improving the starting eleven, but the whole squad—22 or 23 players. In the second half of last season, we lost five out of seven games. Höjbjerg was injured, Murillo too, Luis Henrique wasn’t sharp, Greenwood was struggling.
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