Roberto De Zerbi Faces Player Revolt at Olympique Marseille
Tensions have reached boiling point at Olympique Marseille as head coach Roberto De Zerbi reportedly faced open rebellion from his players after refusing to lead Monday’s training session.
According to L’Équipe, De Zerbi shocked the squad at Marseille’s La Commanderie base by declaring: “I won’t be coaching you today.” In response, senior players pushed back, reportedly saying: “Then we won’t be training either.”
Sporting director Mehdi Benatia was forced to step in to defuse the escalating situation, reminding the squad of the club’s significant financial investment in their performances. Still, unrest lingered. Some players were heard questioning whether such erratic leadership would be tolerated at top clubs like Juventus or Bayern Munich.
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De Zerbi’s emotionally charged and authoritarian management style has become a double-edged sword in Marseille. While he cultivates a “family-like” atmosphere during winning streaks, his response to defeat has included harsher disciplinary actions.
Following last weekend’s loss to Stade de Reims, players were reportedly ordered to sleep overnight at the training ground. Their days off on Sunday and Monday were also cancelled — culminating in Monday’s standoff.
De Zerbi and striker Neal Maupay are expected to face the press later today ahead of Marseille’s upcoming Ligue 1 fixture, where all eyes will be on how the coach and players respond to the internal unrest.
