Alious
Roberto De Zerbi has sensationally hit back at mounting criticism in a fiery press conference that’s sent shockwaves through French football, blasting claims that paint him as a “criminal and a delinquent.” The former Brighton manager, now at the helm of a turbulent Marseille project, is under intense pressure as tensions boil over in the club’s race for Champions League qualification.
The Italian, renowned for his fiery temperament and unapologetically intense methods, is feeling the heat as OM clings to third place in Ligue 1 with Lyon, Strasbourg, and Lille circling like vultures. With Marseille’s financial future hanging on a top-four finish, the stakes couldn’t be higher—and it’s clear De Zerbi is cracking under the strain of growing internal and external scrutiny.
In a dramatic twist, De Zerbi is even contemplating relocating the entire squad to northern Italy for an extended training camp—an unorthodox move that underscores the chaotic atmosphere at the club following a damaging 3-1 loss to Stade de Reims.
But it was in front of the media where De Zerbi truly let loose.
“I always act in the best interests of the club,” he snapped. “Yes, I’m intense, yes, my methods are extreme—but they’re for a reason. And now people are acting like I’m some kind of criminal? It’s absurd.”
The Italian went further, revealing that even his own family is rattled by the noise.
“My own mother called me this morning, asking what I had done wrong,” he revealed. “The media are portraying me like a delinquent—it’s ridiculous. I’m not here to be loved by everyone, but these personal attacks cross the line.”
De Zerbi’s emotional meltdown marks a dramatic chapter in what was already a combustible marriage between a volatile manager and one of France’s most high-pressure clubs. When he arrived from Brighton, many warned that his firebrand personality might not mesh well with the notoriously demanding Marseille environment—and now those fears appear to be playing out in real time.
Whether De Zerbi can hold the dressing room and steer OM over the finish line remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: the cracks are showing, and the fuse is burning fast.
Alious
