The dust has not yet settled following Olympique de Marseille’s 3-1 defeat to AJ Auxerre on Friday evening. It was possibly the worst performance from the club so far this season and came against a promoted team many would have fancied Les Phocéens to have beaten.
Roberto de Zerbi was furious in the dressing room following the game, and according to the manager, he admonished his players, telling them, “You humiliated me, you humiliated our club in front of our fans.” However, it was De Zerbi’s threat that he was willing to walk away from the club that underscored the seriousness to which he was taking this defeat.
The manager told the press in his post-match comments, “If I’m the problem, I’m ready to leave. I’ll leave without the money, I don’t care about all the rest.” It was a point that he is thought to have made to the squad on the 17th of August against Stade Brestois, as L’Équipe reports that the manager showed his players what he had rejected to join Marseille.
Roberto De Zerbi: “I came to Marseille for the passion”
The French outlet alleges that he used an overhead projector to display a contract offer sent to him by Manchester United with the finer details (such as how much he would have earned at the English club) blurred out. L’Équipe further writes that De Zerbi allegedly told his players “This is where I could have been, but I put my passion before money. I came to Marseille for the passion.”
