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After 1 year and 7 months, Roberto De Zerbi leaves Marseille with a 57% win rate: the best figure at OM in the last 25 years. A mutual decision, as stated in the official statement, which brings an end to a relationship full of highs and lows, some of which even the coach himself could not explain.
At the start of his adventure with OM, De Zerbi had warned: "With me there is no grey, only black or white", and so it was, from last year until the contract termination that took place overnight.
De Zerbi rebuilds Marseille
In August 2024, De Zerbi’s goal was to lay the new foundations for Marseille, which was coming off its worst season in the last 8 years: namely, the 8th place finish under Marcelino-Gattuso-Gasset. In the last 15 years, OM had only done worse in Bielsa’s final season (replaced by Passi and Michél).
Change was needed, and the management supported this necessity: Greenwood, Hojbjerg,Gouiri, Rowe, and Wahi (the latter two already departed), Rulli and others arrived. Aubameyang (top scorer the previous year), Guendouzi, Veretout, Sarr, and Ndiaye left.
De Zerbi’s 4-2-3-1 breathed new life into Greenwood, who had the best season of his career, and resultscame immediately despite a few slip-ups (loss to Strasbourg) and some almost inevitable stumbles, like the defeat to PSG.
However, the system of play was not dogmatic: after a loss to Auxerre, he switched to 3-4-2-1 which remained until the end of the season, except for the last 3 matches. This formation gave great prominence to the wingers—including Luis Henrique, who would later be sold to Inter—ensuring wide and constant occupation of the opponent’s half, but also exposing the team to counterattacks.
The only crisis period came in March when OM lost 3 games in a row against Lens, PSG, and Reims. It was a brief episode, overcome with a strong finish to the league that secured 2nd place in Ligue 1, and above all, a return to the Champions League. Not a given, considering Nice and Lille (4th and 5th) finished just 5 points behind.
The "best month of his career" and the warning
The change in mentality was clear and showcased to everyone in a documentary released in the summer: "Sans jamais rien lâcher", where the usual De Zerbi is seen. Demanding, almost obsessive, and functional to the project: the bond with the fans was total and the Vélodrome supported him.
The transfer market took away a lot, especially Rabiot and Rowe at the end of August after a furious quarrel, in which De Zerbi emerged as a strict disciplinarian, punishing both with the maximum penalty: being sold. But the market also gave: Paixao, Weah, O'Riley (returned to Brighton), Aguerd, Vermeeren, Pavard, and the return of Aubameyang.
The season began with some missteps but quickly recovered, so much so that at the end of October De Zerbi—according to the newspaper La Provence—confessed: "It’s the best month of my career as a coach", but at the press conference he issued a warning after the win against Metz: "In Marseille, you have to worry when things start going too well."
In the Champions League, results were indeed inconsistent, with clear wins (4-0 against Ajax), undeserved losses (Atalanta), and deserved ones (Real and Sporting). The problems became evident starting in January, when the team began to oscillate between excellent performances and sudden collapses, like the 2-0 loss to Nantes.
The final and the decline
A blow came in the French Super Cup final: played very well but lost on penalties to PSG, almost the manifesto of a peak that could never quite be reached, only brushed.
From that moment on, Marseille experienced inexplicable highs and lows: a thrashing of Angers and then a clear 3-0 defeat to Liverpool, a splendid win against Lens followed by another Champions League crash, 3-0 against Bruges which cost elimination. A few days later, De Zerbi was certain: "I think I have the strength to stay here another 5/6 years."
The reaction against Paris FC was immediate: leading 2-0, but the team collapsed at the end, conceding a 2-2 draw in the last 10 minutes. The match against PSG was the final test: 5-0 with no appeal and a team mentally shattered.
"I’m not in the players’ heads, I don’t know what’s happening. We prepared for the match as best as we could. I’ve never had a team this unstable" were among De Zerbi’s last words at OM, just 90 days after that "Best month of my career."
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.
