At Marseille's training base, De Zerbi stood out - with a packet of Italian cigarettes in his hand, tattoos peeking out of his calves, and wearing the club's shorts and T-shirt, he looked like one of those who mingled with the fans on Wednesday night. The 45-year-old Italian coach, who conquered England during his spell at Brighton (2022-2024), has earned praise from marquee names such as Pep Guardiola. Now he is on a journey to revitalize Marseille with a new vision and goal.
Faced with a club that has been in turmoil and lacked stability in recent years, De Zerbi has his own unique insights. He believes that stability does not come from being set in one's ways, but rather from inner determination, a serious work ethic and a boundless passion for soccer. As a coach, he is not only the organizer of the team, but also the controller of the game philosophy. He emphasizes that every coach has his own unique soccer philosophy, but true success cannot be achieved without the joint efforts and active participation of the players.
Speaking about the revamping of Marseille, De Zerbi said he has analyzed last season's matches in depth and recognized that the team needs to bring in new players to change the mentality and tactical system. He firmly believes that a brand new coaching team and a group of passionate players can bring new vitality and hope to Marseille. At the same time, he is aware of the crisis between the club's management and the fans, but says that these challenges will not stop him from moving forward. On the contrary, he sees them as an incentive, a chance to prove himself.
De Zerbi also revealed the presence of his huge coaching team and personal advisor Giovanni Rossi. He said that these new elements were added to better serve the club and the team, not for personal gain. He emphasized that the most important thing at Marseille is team spirit and common goals, not personal glory or loss.
De Zerbi also gave a candid response to his past failure to sign with management while at Brighton. He revealed that the failure to reach an agreement at the time was mainly due to differences between sporting director Javier Ribalta and Longoria. This time around, he feels honored to have the full support of Longoria and Medhi to enable him to take over the reins at Marseille.
Speaking about the differences between Marseille and Brighton, De Zerbi said that although Marseille often dominate in Ligue 1, he will not change his coaching style as a result. He emphasized that coaches must adapt to the characteristics of the league and the players, but at the same time maintain their principles and philosophy. He believes that through carefully selected players and reasonable tactical arrangements, Marseille can show strong attacking power and stable defensive performance in the game.
De Zerbi has also expressed his views on what Marseille fans may not understand about his style of play. He said that his team has always been attack-oriented, focusing on possession and controlling the rhythm of the game. He believes that as long as his team can create enough attacking opportunities in the opponent's half and effectively reduce the risk of conceding goals, they will be able to win the support and trust of their fans.
Finally, De Zerbi expressed his confidence in the future of Marseille. He believes that with the joint efforts of the club management and all players, Marseille will be able to return to the top and become a strong team in Ligue 1 and even the European soccer world again. He is looking forward to sharing this honor and joy with the fans and witnessing the road of Marseille's revival together.
