Marseille Manager De Zerbi: ‘Our Inner Fire is Gone’ Following Defeat to Reims
Olympique de Marseille is facing a potential crisis after suffering their third consecutive league defeat. Despite still being in contention for Champions League qualification, the team’s recent performance has raised concerns. They now sit precariously just two points above Nice in fourth place, having been overtaken by AS Monaco.
Following the match at Stade Auguste Delaune, manager Roberto De Zerbi expressed his disappointment, primarily focusing on the team’s mentality. He stated, “Mentality isn’t something you can simply purchase. The current attitude I’m seeing doesn’t align with what I expect from my team. I need to clearly communicate my expectations to the players regarding this matter.”
De Zerbi further elaborated, “We’re experiencing something unprecedented. The internal drive to win these types of matches seems to have disappeared. While I don’t believe tactical changes are necessary, we may need to address the psychological aspect.”
In response to the team’s poor performance, De Zerbi reportedly implemented a collective punishment. The players were instructed to remain at Marseille’s training facility overnight, with training resuming the following day. The club’s leadership also cancelled the team’s scheduled rest days.
As Marseille grapples with these challenges, all eyes will be on how De Zerbi and his squad respond in their upcoming fixtures.