Roberto De Zerbi has left Marseille by mutual agreement, the club announced on Wednesday, following a 5-0 thrashing by Paris Saint-Germain on Sunday. The defeat at the Parc des Princes restored PSG’s two-point lead over Lens after 21 rounds, with Marseille languishing in fourth place.
The Italian coach's position had come under further scrutiny after Marseille suffered a 3-0 loss at Club Brugge two weeks ago, resulting in elimination from the Champions League. De Zerbi, who joined Marseille in 2024 after two seasons at Brighton, apologised to supporters following the heavy loss to bitter rivals PSG. His recent tactical decisions had puzzled many observers, despite a relatively solid first campaign in charge.
In a statement, Marseille said the decision was taken after consultations involving the owner, president, director of football and head coach. 'This was a collective and difficult decision, taken after thorough consideration, in the best interests of the club,' the statement read. De Zerbi had led Marseille to second place last season, but the club has yet to name a replacement ahead of Saturday's league match against Strasbourg.
Since American owner Frank McCourt bought the club in 2016, Marseille have struggled to find stability, cycling through a succession of coaches and enduring crises that have occasionally turned violent. The club, once the dominant force in French football in the late 1980s and early 1990s and the only French side to win the Champions League before PSG last year, has not won the league title since 2010.
