Roberto de Zerbi has openly admitted he is uncertain whether he represents the perfect managerial fit for Olympique de Marseille, following the club's catastrophic exit from the UEFA Champions League. The Italian coach's future has been plunged into serious doubt after Wednesday's humiliating 3-0 defeat to Club Brugge, which eliminated the Ligue 1 giants from Europe's premier competition at the group stage.
Chaos and Consequences After European Failure
The atmosphere at the Stade Vélodrome has turned toxic in the aftermath of the Belgian debacle, with sporting director Medhi Benatia issuing a stark warning that there would be significant consequences for the embarrassing performance. French media reports had suggested De Zerbi could be dismissed during emergency talks with the club's hierarchy, and that he might not even take charge of Saturday's domestic fixture against Paris FC.
However, speaking at a tense press conference on Friday, the former Brighton & Hove Albion manager confirmed he remains in position after crisis discussions with Benatia and club president Pablo Longoria. "We lost an important match. We're out of the Champions League. We need to try and understand," De Zerbi told assembled journalists. "Pablo Longoria and Medhi Benatia, we spoke last night. We met to try and find the best possible solution."
De Zerbi Takes Responsibility But Questions His Suitability
The 45-year-old tactician accepted partial blame for the disastrous result, stating: "This match is also partly my fault. We'll do everything to bounce back. I'm still here." Yet in a remarkable admission of self-doubt, De Zerbi questioned whether he possesses the right qualities to lead Marseille forward. "I don't know if I'm the ideal coach for OM," he confessed. "From a results standpoint, we've done some good things. But there's this lack of consistency."
Speculation had been rife that De Zerbi was considering resignation after reportedly calling in sick, with club officials allegedly questioning whether he retained the energy to continue. When pressed on these rumours, the Italian responded: "I really wanted to come to Marseille. That's the truth. There's also the element of responsibility. I was taught to take responsibility. I'm telling you, the club, we played a bad match, that's all."
Contrasting Reactions From Club Hierarchy
De Zerbi's relatively measured response stood in stark contrast to the furious reaction from sporting director Medhi Benatia, who launched a scathing attack on the players following the Club Brugge humiliation. The former Bayern Munich defender fumed: "I want this to have consequences for the rest of the season. I hope it will have consequences, that they will ask themselves the right questions."
Benatia described the performance as "a s****y night, even a shameful one," adding: "When you're at a club like this, you can lose matches. You can't lose like tonight. We're dealing with a recurring problem. Football has to be respected, and tonight we have to apologise to the fans, to the people who make sacrifices for this club."
Internal Tensions and Player Relationships
The defeat has exposed significant fractures within the Marseille camp, with particular attention focused on the reportedly strained relationship between Benatia and English winger Mason Greenwood. According to French publication L'Equipe, the sporting director and the former Manchester United player are said to openly ignore one another whenever they cross paths, with Benatia frequently criticising the 24-year-old both publicly and privately.
The report claims Benatia was angered last summer when Greenwood allegedly shirked a commercial responsibility with little concern for the repercussions. Further tensions emerged during a late-night meeting ahead of January's Champions Trophy clash with Paris Saint-Germain, when Benatia is believed to have aggressively confronted club captain Leonardo Balerdi over dressing room arrangements.
After reprimanding players following their disappointing league defeat to Nantes, Benatia reportedly exploded when Balerdi raised concerns about the lack of privacy in the shared dressing room space. "Tell me, Leo, are you the one paying rent on the locker room?" the sporting director is said to have retorted. Notably, De Zerbi was not present for this heated exchange, highlighting the communication breakdowns permeating the club.
Looking Forward to Domestic Redemption
Despite the turmoil, De Zerbi expressed confidence that his squad can recover from this difficult period, beginning with Saturday's Ligue 1 encounter against Paris FC. The Italian insisted his players are already sufficiently motivated to make amends for their European failure. "Together we will get out of this rough patch. I won't say anything to my players," he stated. "There's no point in talking. They are already angry enough about the match in Bruges, there's no point in adding to it."
In a potentially revealing comment about his long-term aspirations, De Zerbi suggested he could envision remaining in southern France for an extended period. "I have the strength to stay in Marseille for another 5 or 6 years because I have the passion, I love it," he revealed. "The players support me. What annoys me is defeat. It's not a question of passion but of powerlessness. These are defeats that leave their mark, but the players have great human and sporting qualities."
As Marseille prepare for their domestic fixture, the club finds itself at a critical juncture, with the manager's future uncertain, internal relationships strained, and pressure mounting from all sides following their Champions League humiliation.
