‘Taking him off and putting Matt O’Riley in defence isn’t my dream as a manager’ – Roberto De Zerbi explains CJ Egan-Riley mix-up | OneFootball

Whilst the result was yet in the balance between Olympique de Marseille and Atalanta at the Stade Vélodrome on Wednesday evening, eyebrows were raised when CJ Egan-Riley was substituted for Angel Gomes to come in midfield. What was thought as an initial attacking substitution, then saw Brighton loanee Matt O’Riley drop into the back three and Egan-Riley kicking a water bottle in frustration when leaving the pitch – before a heated exchange took place between the Englishman and his Italian coach. OM boss Roberto De Zerbi then explained in his press conference attended by Get French Football News, that there was a mix-up between his medical staff and the English defender – who thought Egan-Riley was injured before being replaced. “The doc told me he was injured and had to come off, but in fact he had obviously told the doc something else, that’s all,” said De Zerbi following the game to explain his thinking. “Taking him off and putting Matt O’Riley in defence wasn’t my dream as a manager, but I was told he was injured and with all the injuries we have, I didn’t want to take any risks.”GFFN | George Boxall – Reporting from Marseille.