Roberto De Zerbi’s bond with OM squad cools further after PSG rout | OneFootball

After the 0-5 defeat to PSG on Sunday, relations between Roberto De Zerbi and the OM dressing room have cooled further. The mood is tinged with confusion, fatigue and a hint of resignation.

According to L'Équipe, new signing Himad Abdelli endured a turbulent bow at the Parc, coming on in the 62nd minute amid muddled instructions as two goals went in within three minutes, before facing the media. It capped a week of a meeting with 50 supporters and a 3-0 cup win over Rennes, then renewed strain under Paris pressure.

De Zerbi did not address the dressing room after full time. The squad returned to Marseille overnight, stayed at the training base and were put through a demanding Monday session rather than a warm-down, with no summit yet over the coach’s future.

After the 0-3 loss in Bruges during the Clairefontaine camp, he stayed away the next day as he brooded, while assistant Andrea Maldera signalled that some players neither understood nor embraced the game model. Leaders sought talks, echoing last season’s 1-3 defeat by Auxerre and a two-hour meeting in Kuwait before the Trophée des champions loss to PSG, 2-2 then 1-4 on penalties.

Grievances now include dropping the 4-2-3-1 used against Rennes, shifting Mason Greenwood to the left, punishing some, such as Rulli, but not others, heavy use of recruits and dented confidence for Pavard and Aubameyang. Training feels stalled, few challenge his calls, and players feel closely monitored on timings and even meals as Medhi Benatia tightens oversight. De Zerbi’s training outbursts add to a tension evident even in victory, as against Rennes.

Both crises have coincided with transfer-window finishes. After the summer Rabiot-Rowe clash, witnesses spoke of mental fatigue despite Pablo Longoria’s pledge of a calmer winter. Amir Murillo left for Besiktas after criticism following the 2-2 draw with PFC, a spell with the reserves and being steered to an exit, with the coach later telling the squad the Panamanian would be doubling his salary in Türkiye.

The handling of Murillo, an earlier clash with Ismaël Koné, and the exits of Neal Maupay, Adrien Rabiot and Valentin Rongier have left gaps. De Zerbi often insists his bond with the group is strong, yet repeated flashpoints appear to have left their mark.

Source: L'Équipe