Roberto De Zerbi, head coach of Olympique de Marseille, reaffirmed that he will continue to lead the team when attending the league pre-match press conference. “I am still the manager of Marseille right now.”
On his recent form
There's nothing out of the ordinary. We lost a crucial game for the rest of the season, and the defeat was extremely frustrating, especially after being eliminated from the Champions League, we put in another poor performance.
We need to figure out how we can do better. That's why we only spoke with Mehdi Benatia (Marseille's director) and Pablo Longoria (Marseille's president) last night (Thursday).
I didn't take training on Thursday because I watched the match footage of Paris FC, and I didn't sleep well the night before as I was unwell. We need to reflect seriously. I bear my share of responsibility for this. We will do everything to move forward. You may see and hear some rumours... I'm here today to set the record straight.
On whether he will leave Marseille
To be honest, I think we can redeem ourselves through our performances, which stem more from courage and fighting spirit than results... It's not a question of whether I want to leave. I agreed to stay for a second season at Marseille, and I knew what issues might arise. I have full confidence in this.
Of course, I have other responsibilities, especially after so many ups and downs: Nantes, Paris Saint-Germain, Angers, Liverpool, Lens, Club Brugge... There are things I am willing to take responsibility for, but I don't think I should take all the blame.
I'm saying this to you, to the club's director and president. We played a terrible game. But I believe Marseille is the ideal destination for me, even though I don't know if I'm the ideal manager for Marseille.
We have achieved some good results, we have a strong squad, and this team can become even stronger and more stable.
I have nothing to confirm at the moment. I was the head coach of Marseille before, and I still am. I'm still leading the training sessions, and I will be in the dugout on Saturday. We have a great squad, but the players haven't played together for long enough; they need to get to know each other better to perform well.
