Roberto De Zerbi denies asking to leave OM after Champions League exit | OneFootball

After Wednesday’s Champions League exit, Roberto De Zerbi denied late on Thursday that he had asked to leave OM.

In the dressing room he kept his counsel, then departed with staff. He missed Thursday’s training at Clairefontaine, largely for non-starters, having similarly stepped back after the 1-3 defeat at Reims on 29 March last season.

Internally, his absence did not alarm players, the club cited illness. Later, coverage snowballed and a late report claimed he wanted out, which he promptly denied.

His rapport with the squad has been more distant this season, and he did not try to keep Valentin Rongier and Adrien Rabiot last summer. Questions also persist over rotations, with 30 different XIs in 30 matches.

Pablo Longoria said: "I would be delighted for Roberto to stay a long time. I would like him to be like Diego Simeone at Atlético Madrid." He told the Telegraph.

De Zerbi, 46, is under contract until 2027 and said Marseille feels ideal for him, though nobody knows the future. Medhi Benatia has not questioned his work.

His methods can be prescriptive, yet they help attract talents such as Ethan Nwaneri. After two seasons at Brighton from 2022 to 2024, he retains a strong Premier League reputation and is regularly linked with Manchester United.

Source: L'Équipe