Latest news with #DeZerbi
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
De Zerbi denies Inter report and slams ‘arrogant' Italian football
Roberto De Zerbi insists Inter 'never called me' to be their new coach, blasts Italian football for 'arrogance' around PSG in the Champions League Final and warns Italy's problems are 'not the fault of the coaches.' The Italian took over at Olympique Marseille last summer and steered them to second place in Ligue 1, so he is eager to continue the project, despite repeated links with Milan, Inter, Napoli, Roma, Juventus, and Tottenham Hotspur. Advertisement 'Inter never called me,' De Zerbi told Alessandro Cattelan's Supernova podcast in Italy. 'I already started talking to future players 20 days ago and visited the club owner in Miami. When I make a commitment, I take it full term. 'However, if I feel betrayed, then there's no contract that can hold me. If I don't get back what I give in terms of respect and honesty, then I will leave.' De Zerbi not surprised by PSG triumph BRADFORD, ENGLAND – AUGUST 3: Roberto De Zerbi manager of Olympique Marseille during the pre-season friendly match between Sunderland and Olympique Marseille at University of Bradford Stadium on August 3, 2024 in Bradford, England. (Photo by) The 46-year-old maintains Olympique Marseille was a step up from his time at Brighton and Hove Albion, rejecting some of the insulting views that have been expressed on the quality of Ligue 1 football. Advertisement That is all the more obvious after Inter were swept aside 5-0 by Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League Final. 'Inter are a great team and Inzaghi is a great coach, so a five-goal gap is excessive,' explained De Zerbi. MUNICH, GERMANY – MAY 31: Marquinhos of Paris Saint-Germain lifts the UEFA Champions League trophy after his team's victory, to secure Paris Saint-Germain's first ever UEFA Champions League title in the club's history and a record UEFA Champions League Final winning scoreline of 5-0, following the UEFA Champions League Final 2025 between Paris Saint-Germain and FC Internazionale Milano at Munich Football Arena on May 31, 2025 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by) 'The problem is that Italian football didn't know about PSG and was arrogant. They didn't know that every time they start from kick-off booting it out of touch like rugby, or that Ousmane Dembele stays up near the edge of the area to pounce on loose passes, or that Doué is a talent on the same level as Yamal, even if not yet as decisive. They didn't know that Vitinha is perhaps currently the best midfielder in the world, nor about Neves and Pacho. In Italy, they didn't write a single line about my Marseille getting second place and they snub Ligue 1, not realising it is a difficult league. Advertisement 'Football is difficult everywhere, just look at what happened to Italy in Norway.' Roberto De Zerbi (Photo by) Luciano Spalletti was sacked following that 3-0 defeat in Oslo, making their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign an uphill struggle already. This means the very real risk the Nazionale will fail to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup. 'As an Italian abroad, it hurts to see Italy like this. I think at the moment there is just a lack of players at a certain level, and that means something is being done wrong somewhere,' continued De Zerbi. 'I don't know who to blame, but it is not the fault of the coaches, as there has been a series of them on the bench. Nobody could do things that much differently. Advertisement 'This is not the era of Totti, Del Piero, Inzaghi, Montella, when you had so many strikers that you didn't know who to bring along to tournaments. That is what's happening for France and Spain now, but not Italy. 'Apart from four or five really strong players, like Bastoni, Barella, Tonali and Locatelli, there isn't much talent out there. We can't even compete with players like Haaland, Odegaard and Nusa. Our level is low.'
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
‘Italy underestimated PSG' – Marseille coach Roberto De Zerbi slams Italian ‘snobbery' over Ligue 1
Olympique de Marseille manager Roberto De Zerbi has taken a swipe at the Italian football establishment in the aftermath of Paris Saint-Germain's stunning 5-0 win over Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League final on May 31st. Speaking on Italian podcast Supernova, De Zerbi accused his native country of underestimating the French champions and failing to appreciate the rise in quality across Ligue 1. The Italian tactician, who initially claimed he wouldn't be watching the final at a press conference attended by Get French Football News – 'I was going to spend the evening on Netflix' – later offered a blunt analysis of the one-sided result. Advertisement 'Italy didn't know PSG. Italy underestimated them. Italian football was arrogant – not Inter, but the country's attitude,' he stated. 'They didn't know they'd be kicking off from touch, didn't know Dembélé was in that form, didn't know Doué has talent on Yamal's level, or that Vitinha might be the best midfielder in the world right now. They didn't know João Neves was Portuguese-trained or where Pacho comes from.' 'Inter are a great team. Inzaghi is a top coach. There shouldn't be five goals of difference.' However, the former Brighton and Shakhtar boss pivoted to a broader defence of Ligue 1's European stature, noting how France's top teams have proven their worth this season on the continental stage. 'PSG dominated Liverpool and many others. We [Marseille] finished second behind them. In Italy, they didn't write a word – they snubbed our league, thinking it's average. That's not true.' GFFN | George Boxall
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Marseille Coach Roberto De Zerbi Claims ‘Inter Milan Never Called Me' – Adds ‘Luis Henrique A Great Signing'
Marseille coach Roberto De Zerbi says that Inter Milan 'never called' him. The Italian tactician spoke to Supernova, via FCInterNews. He also said that winger Luis Henrique is 'a great signing' for the Nerazzurri. Advertisement Inter Milan have gone with Cristian Chivu as their coach to replace Simone Inzaghi. However, Chivu is far from the only coach that the Nerazzurri had been linked with. The Nerazzurri had also been working on snapping up Cesc Fabregas to become Inzaghi's successor. Meanwhile, Genoa coach Patrick Vieira was another name reportedly on Inter's shortlist. Then, another name who has been linked with Inter for some time is Roberto De Zerbi. Formerly of Sassuolo, Shakhtar Donetsk, and Brighton and Hove Albion, De Zerbi is currently at Marseille. And the 46-year-old was among the names to emerge on Inter's list of candidates to replace Inzaghi. Marseille Coach De Zerbi: 'Inter Never Called Me' STOKE ON TRENT, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 28: Roberto De Zerbi, Manager of Brighton & Hove Albion, looks on prior to the Emirates FA Cup Fifth Round match between Stoke City and Brighton and Hove Albion at Bet365 Stadium on February 28, 2023 in Stoke on Trent, England. (Photo by) Marseille coach De Zerbi addressed the rumours linking him to Inter Milan. 'They never called me,' he claimed. Advertisement 'I'd already been talking to players for the future [at Marseille] for twenty days,' he noted. 'We were in Miami with the President and the Sporting Director to see the owner.' De Zerbi stated that 'when I have a commitment, I like to see it through.' 'If I feel betrayed I leave. But I had a commitment, and I would not have felt right leaving.' Meanwhile, De Zerbi also gave his thoughts on new Inter signing Luis Henrique. 'Luis Henrique is a good player,' said the Marseille coach. 'Then, the San Siro is the San Siro, but the Velodrome is no joke either.' 'We'll have to see how he adjusts to playing three matches a week. Because he's not used to that.' 'But he has physicality, technical quality,' De Zerbi added of Henrique. 'He's a great signing.'
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Roberto De Zerbi rejects Tottenham Hotspur approach
According to a report from Fabrizio Romano, Olympique de Marseille coach Roberto De Zerbi has rejected an approach from Tottenham Hotspur, with the Italian intending to stay with Les Olympiens next season. Spurs are preparing to advance talks to replace Ange Postecoglou at the Premier League side, with Brentford manager Thomas Frank in pole position for the job. Spurs reportedly approached De Zerbi for the job in recent days, with other reports suggesting he was one of the candidates also for the Inter Milan job. The club and De Zerbi dispelled the Inter rumour last week, with the Italian speaking to the press after becoming an Honory Citizen of Foggia 'I'm happy in Marseille and I haven't received any calls from other clubs, I want to do good things in the right way there.' After a summit held in the US following the end of the season, De Zerbi agreed with club president Pablo Longoria, sporting director Medhi Benatia, and owner Frank McCourt that he would renew his commitment to the club ahead of a return to Champions League football at the Vélodrome next season. GFFN | George Boxall
BBC News
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Rebellion, ritiros & Waddle - 'ultra' De Zerbi's year at Marseille
"When I was aged 13-14, in the AC Milan youth academy, my coach told me to start following Marseille and Chris Waddle," Roberto de Zerbi discreetly revealed after Marseille's final game of the season. "That's when I fell in love with Marseille. I started following the club because of (former England winger) Waddle."It followed a season full of lively - and at times fiery - pressers at the Velodrome and the La Commanderie training ground. The Italian found in France's oldest city something that mirrored his past and his own temperament."The city of Marseille and the club of Marseille are similar to me in a way. I was looking for an environment that could make me dream," said the former Brighton boss in early Zerbi is a natural fit for the heat at Olympique de Marseille. His football demands conviction, and so does the city. As local poet Jean-Claude Izzo once wrote: "Here, you have to take sides. Be passionate. Be for, be against. Just be, intensely."At the end of the season the Italian was caught up in jubilant celebrations, waving a flare with supporters that had greeted the Marseille squad at 4am at Provence Airport. "I was born an ultra," De Zerbi exclaimed to DAZN only weeks was not a title win - but finishing second in Ligue 1 and qualifying for the Champions League felt nonetheless appointment of the passionate Italian was viewed as an "impossible dream" by club president Pablo Longoria when he made a call last summer after De Zerbi departed dream teetered on the edge of chaos several times this season, testing the tactical and emotional limits of one of the most promising coaches of the past decade. 'The Port of Exiles' - OM's summer overhaul "Marseille has always been the port of exiles... Here, anyone who arrives one day at the port is inevitably at home," Izzo also wrote about an eighth-placed finish last season, the club kicked off a radical overhaul - welcoming an eclectic collection of misfits and experienced players attracted by De Zerbi's new project. Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Neal Maupay and Adrien Rabiot all arrived citing De Zerbi as a pair Jonathan Rowe and Mason Greenwood joined the Anglophone contingent at the club along with Canada international Derek Cornelius."The big difference was Roberto de Zerbi calling me out of the blue. I was a bit taken aback by it because it's the first time a manager has gone out of his way to call me and say he wants me," former Norwich winger Rowe told BBC Sport."The coach has been a bit more intricate with the details: your body shape, how you go into games, how you think and stay focused in a game. There's a lot of information to take in.""He's very demanding, one of the best coaches in the world. He's one of the reasons why I came here," added Greenwood before the final game of the season. "We have a great relationship and he puts me in the best position so that I can express myself."We've also had to learn when to be patient, when to play a bit quicker when we have a lot of the ball and break down defences. So he's taught me a lot about how to play my game."Greenwood joined the club from Manchester United last summer in a deal worth up to 31.6m euros (£26.6m). Serious charges against him, including attempted rape and assault, were dropped in February 2023."We took the decision internally. OK, there was some opposition, that was objective," said Marseille club president Longoria in September. "But at the same time that gave us power to maybe not investigate, because I'm not a judge, but to use all the information to make the best decision, which I think we did."Greenwood scored twice on his Ligue 1 debut in a 5-1 win over Brest and went on to finish with 21 goals, breaking the record of the most goals in a debut season for a Marseille player in the 21st century, ahead of Bafetimbi Gomis (20) and Didier Drogba (19).His goals won 16 additional points for the club - the highest of any player in Ligue 1 this season, according to ability for attacking explosivity on the pitch under De Zerbi was abundant from the start of the season. Les Olympiens broke several goalscoring and possession records, scoring 74 goals in 34 games this season, with only an all-conquering Paris St-Germain side netting more in Ligue 1. Reports of mutiny & a Roman rebirth Yet after a run of five losses in seven games, the season would take a turn for the surreal. Following defeat by Reims in March, a report from French newspaper L'Equipe alluded to tensions arising between De Zerbi and his players - going as far to suggest a 'mutiny' had taken Zerbi hit back: "Some people made me out to be a criminal. It's not fair. I'm a good person. My mum called me this morning and asked: 'What did you do?'""There is no rift between us," claimed former Brentford and Brighton striker Maupay during the same news conference. "He is so passionate and committed... In families or couples, you have to be able to talk things through."After concerns around the team environment, De Zerbi - along with Longoria and sporting director Medhi Benatia - made the collective decision to take the squad on a training retreat to had been on a team bonding camp following a defeat earlier in the season by Auxerre, but this 'ritiro' - often a practice for Serie A teams - involved the team's 50-man sporting operation moving to the outskirts of the Italian capital late in the season."We've thought with the club about doing everything we can to reach our objective," said De Zerbi. "It's not a punishment - it's simply to help the team reconnect. The players agreed. It won't change their lives, but it could change their careers."As the world turned its eyes to Rome following the death of Pope Francis, Marseille found a kind of rebirth of their own in the Eternal City. De Zerbi visited the Vatican with club representatives to pay his respects - before focus switched back to Champions League rooftop barbecues and work on the training pitch, away from the prying eyes of La Commanderie, ended up being what was needed to make the difference in the final games of the season."I had the pleasure of celebrating my birthday there - I had never been to Italy before," smiled Rowe. "We really managed to create better cohesion and become more united."Sixteen goals in the final five games of the season earned big wins over Brest and Montpellier, with a victory at Le Havre sparking scenes of celebration. A release of tension as De Zerbi, his players and staff all flooded the away section."I believe this is more than a miracle," the Italian said afterwards."We spent time together, had dinner together. We trained less, but we worked a lot on unity and it showed on the pitch; it's a family."It's not true that the players were against me; that hurt me. There was never any mutiny." 'I love conflict, I love controversy' The first act of the De Zerbi story at Marseille has proved to be a whirlwind that has reached a satisfactory conclusion for all parties: Champions League qualification."I love conflict, I love controversy. I think it's part of football and part of this club's DNA. You can't change that," said Longoria at his end-of-season news conference."With Roberto, we started a cycle that we set out in a three-year contract. I think we're in a good place."We want to find continuity, let the adrenaline that is associated with this club die down."After a summit held in the US, Marseille confirmed the commitment between Longoria, De Zerbi, Benatia and American owner Frank McCourt to continue working so there will be a second act to De Zerbi's odyssey in the south of France, one that will see the coach compete in Europe's elite competition for the first time since his tenure at Shakhtar Donetsk in than 30 years after first falling for the OM of Waddle, it will be the Italian's turn to try to re-energise Marseille's proud European heritage.
