Latest news with #DeZerbi
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Roberto De Zerbi rejects Tottenham Hotspur approach
According to a report from Fabrizio Romano, Olympique de Marseille coach Roberto De Zerbi has rejected an approach from Tottenham Hotspur, with the Italian intending to stay with Les Olympiens next season. Spurs are preparing to advance talks to replace Ange Postecoglou at the Premier League side, with Brentford manager Thomas Frank in pole position for the job. Spurs reportedly approached De Zerbi for the job in recent days, with other reports suggesting he was one of the candidates also for the Inter Milan job. The club and De Zerbi dispelled the Inter rumour last week, with the Italian speaking to the press after becoming an Honory Citizen of Foggia 'I'm happy in Marseille and I haven't received any calls from other clubs, I want to do good things in the right way there.' After a summit held in the US following the end of the season, De Zerbi agreed with club president Pablo Longoria, sporting director Medhi Benatia, and owner Frank McCourt that he would renew his commitment to the club ahead of a return to Champions League football at the Vélodrome next season. GFFN | George Boxall
BBC News
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Rebellion, ritiros & Waddle - 'ultra' De Zerbi's year at Marseille
"When I was aged 13-14, in the AC Milan youth academy, my coach told me to start following Marseille and Chris Waddle," Roberto de Zerbi discreetly revealed after Marseille's final game of the season. "That's when I fell in love with Marseille. I started following the club because of (former England winger) Waddle."It followed a season full of lively - and at times fiery - pressers at the Velodrome and the La Commanderie training ground. The Italian found in France's oldest city something that mirrored his past and his own temperament."The city of Marseille and the club of Marseille are similar to me in a way. I was looking for an environment that could make me dream," said the former Brighton boss in early Zerbi is a natural fit for the heat at Olympique de Marseille. His football demands conviction, and so does the city. As local poet Jean-Claude Izzo once wrote: "Here, you have to take sides. Be passionate. Be for, be against. Just be, intensely."At the end of the season the Italian was caught up in jubilant celebrations, waving a flare with supporters that had greeted the Marseille squad at 4am at Provence Airport. "I was born an ultra," De Zerbi exclaimed to DAZN only weeks was not a title win - but finishing second in Ligue 1 and qualifying for the Champions League felt nonetheless appointment of the passionate Italian was viewed as an "impossible dream" by club president Pablo Longoria when he made a call last summer after De Zerbi departed dream teetered on the edge of chaos several times this season, testing the tactical and emotional limits of one of the most promising coaches of the past decade. 'The Port of Exiles' - OM's summer overhaul "Marseille has always been the port of exiles... Here, anyone who arrives one day at the port is inevitably at home," Izzo also wrote about an eighth-placed finish last season, the club kicked off a radical overhaul - welcoming an eclectic collection of misfits and experienced players attracted by De Zerbi's new project. Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Neal Maupay and Adrien Rabiot all arrived citing De Zerbi as a pair Jonathan Rowe and Mason Greenwood joined the Anglophone contingent at the club along with Canada international Derek Cornelius."The big difference was Roberto de Zerbi calling me out of the blue. I was a bit taken aback by it because it's the first time a manager has gone out of his way to call me and say he wants me," former Norwich winger Rowe told BBC Sport."The coach has been a bit more intricate with the details: your body shape, how you go into games, how you think and stay focused in a game. There's a lot of information to take in.""He's very demanding, one of the best coaches in the world. He's one of the reasons why I came here," added Greenwood before the final game of the season. "We have a great relationship and he puts me in the best position so that I can express myself."We've also had to learn when to be patient, when to play a bit quicker when we have a lot of the ball and break down defences. So he's taught me a lot about how to play my game."Greenwood joined the club from Manchester United last summer in a deal worth up to 31.6m euros (£26.6m). Serious charges against him, including attempted rape and assault, were dropped in February 2023."We took the decision internally. OK, there was some opposition, that was objective," said Marseille club president Longoria in September. "But at the same time that gave us power to maybe not investigate, because I'm not a judge, but to use all the information to make the best decision, which I think we did."Greenwood scored twice on his Ligue 1 debut in a 5-1 win over Brest and went on to finish with 21 goals, breaking the record of the most goals in a debut season for a Marseille player in the 21st century, ahead of Bafetimbi Gomis (20) and Didier Drogba (19).His goals won 16 additional points for the club - the highest of any player in Ligue 1 this season, according to ability for attacking explosivity on the pitch under De Zerbi was abundant from the start of the season. Les Olympiens broke several goalscoring and possession records, scoring 74 goals in 34 games this season, with only an all-conquering Paris St-Germain side netting more in Ligue 1. Reports of mutiny & a Roman rebirth Yet after a run of five losses in seven games, the season would take a turn for the surreal. Following defeat by Reims in March, a report from French newspaper L'Equipe alluded to tensions arising between De Zerbi and his players - going as far to suggest a 'mutiny' had taken Zerbi hit back: "Some people made me out to be a criminal. It's not fair. I'm a good person. My mum called me this morning and asked: 'What did you do?'""There is no rift between us," claimed former Brentford and Brighton striker Maupay during the same news conference. "He is so passionate and committed... In families or couples, you have to be able to talk things through."After concerns around the team environment, De Zerbi - along with Longoria and sporting director Medhi Benatia - made the collective decision to take the squad on a training retreat to had been on a team bonding camp following a defeat earlier in the season by Auxerre, but this 'ritiro' - often a practice for Serie A teams - involved the team's 50-man sporting operation moving to the outskirts of the Italian capital late in the season."We've thought with the club about doing everything we can to reach our objective," said De Zerbi. "It's not a punishment - it's simply to help the team reconnect. The players agreed. It won't change their lives, but it could change their careers."As the world turned its eyes to Rome following the death of Pope Francis, Marseille found a kind of rebirth of their own in the Eternal City. De Zerbi visited the Vatican with club representatives to pay his respects - before focus switched back to Champions League rooftop barbecues and work on the training pitch, away from the prying eyes of La Commanderie, ended up being what was needed to make the difference in the final games of the season."I had the pleasure of celebrating my birthday there - I had never been to Italy before," smiled Rowe. "We really managed to create better cohesion and become more united."Sixteen goals in the final five games of the season earned big wins over Brest and Montpellier, with a victory at Le Havre sparking scenes of celebration. A release of tension as De Zerbi, his players and staff all flooded the away section."I believe this is more than a miracle," the Italian said afterwards."We spent time together, had dinner together. We trained less, but we worked a lot on unity and it showed on the pitch; it's a family."It's not true that the players were against me; that hurt me. There was never any mutiny." 'I love conflict, I love controversy' The first act of the De Zerbi story at Marseille has proved to be a whirlwind that has reached a satisfactory conclusion for all parties: Champions League qualification."I love conflict, I love controversy. I think it's part of football and part of this club's DNA. You can't change that," said Longoria at his end-of-season news conference."With Roberto, we started a cycle that we set out in a three-year contract. I think we're in a good place."We want to find continuity, let the adrenaline that is associated with this club die down."After a summit held in the US, Marseille confirmed the commitment between Longoria, De Zerbi, Benatia and American owner Frank McCourt to continue working so there will be a second act to De Zerbi's odyssey in the south of France, one that will see the coach compete in Europe's elite competition for the first time since his tenure at Shakhtar Donetsk in than 30 years after first falling for the OM of Waddle, it will be the Italian's turn to try to re-energise Marseille's proud European heritage.
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
⏳Inter-Inzaghi talks: renewal or exit, Saudi and Juve interest👀
The heavy 5-0 defeat suffered by Paris Saint Germain in the Champions League final has left a deep mark on Inter, but in these hours the club is called to resolve another fundamental issue: the future of Simone Inzaghi. The coach is considering a particularly enticing offer from Al-Hilal, which continues to push to bring him to Saudi Arabia, in addition to the sensational move made by Juventus in recent weeks. Advertisement A decisive meeting is set for today between the coach, President Marotta, Sporting Director Ausilio, and representatives of Oaktree: a summit that will clarify whether the paths between Inzaghi and Inter will separate or continue together. The management has already started to consider alternatives such as De Zerbi and Fabregas, while the American ownership of Oaktree is pushing for the confirmation of the coach who has guaranteed significant revenues. In fifteen days, Inter will be involved in the Club World Cup, making a decision on the future of the Nerazzurri bench unavoidable. 🤑 The future of Inzaghi and the offer from Al-Hilal Coach Simone Inzaghi is at the center of Inter's evaluations, just days after the bitter defeat in the Champions League final. Advertisement In recent days, a very rich offer has arrived from Al-Hilal, which the coach has not closed, suggesting some doubt on his part as well. In Arabia, there is talk of a ready contract with figures ranging between 30 and 50 million euros per year for a couple of seasons. Just in these hours, the appointed intermediary is in Milan to discuss the final details and get a definitive answer. The coach's decision must arrive within the next 24 hours. 💥 Today the decisive summit Today a crucial meeting is set between Inzaghi and the Inter management. In a climate of bitterness and reflection after the European defeat, the parties will try to understand if there are still conditions to continue together. Advertisement Inter does not want to start the new season with a coach expiring on June 30, 2026, and for this reason, the club has already started to evaluate alternatives. However, the American ownership of Oaktree, which has benefited from the revenues generated during the Inzaghi cycle, is pushing for the coach's confirmation. ⚖️ The alternatives: De Zerbi and Fabregas In case of a farewell with Inzaghi, the club is thinking of a young profile. De Zerbi is the favorite of Piero Ausilio, but he has already promised Marseille to stay another year in France. Fabregas, currently at Como, could instead become the first choice, but the Lombard club is not willing to stand by and the Spanish coach still needs to be convinced to accept the potential offer. 💣 The sensational attempt by Juventus Juventus, in recent weeks, has conducted a survey with Inzaghi's agent, Tullio Tinti. Advertisement According to Tuttosport, then director Cristiano Giuntoli had made contacts to evaluate the possibility of a future agreement, but the attempt stalled after the renewal of the Juventus technical area and the automatic confirmation of Igor Tudor until 2026, following qualification in the Champions League. However, the confirmation of Juventus' interest in Inzaghi remains, a sign that the Nerazzurri coach is also appreciated outside of Inter. 🏆 Club World Cup incoming Inter cannot afford further hesitation: in fifteen days the team will be in America to play the Club World Cup. The debut is set for Tuesday, June 17 at 18 local time, when it will be 3 in the morning on June 18 in Italy, at the Rose Bowl Stadium in Los Angeles against the Mexicans of Monterrey. Advertisement This imminent commitment imposes to quickly establish who will lead the team in the next season, whether it will still be Inzaghi or if a new coach will be chosen. So today will be the day of truth, with no possibility of updates or postponements. This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here. 📸 NICOLO CAMPO - AFP or licensors
New York Times
28-05-2025
- Business
- New York Times
Quick build-ups are different to counter-attacks – and are on the rise in the Premier League
When a built-up offensive move slices through an opponent in seconds, there is a tendency to label it a 'counter-attack'. The space the attacking team has once they reach the final third makes it look like a counter, but in reality, it's just a sequence that moves quickly up the pitch. On other occasions, it's labelled as a 'transition', but this occurs when a team wins the ball and attacks an unstructured defence or vice versa — a change from the defensive phase to the attacking one or the other way round. Advertisement These moves start and finish in the attacking phase, which is why putting them under the umbrella of transitions is peculiar. Another term that is used to define them is 'artificial transitions', which is more logical because it gives the feeling of a transition despite not being one. However, when an attack is played out against a structured defence, it is simply known as a 'quick build-up'. In the Premier League era, three Italian managers had teams that were distinctive by their quickly built-up attacks that cut through the opponent's press: Maurizio Sarri with Chelsea, Antonio Conte with Tottenham Hotspur and Roberto De Zerbi with Brighton & Hove Albion. Sarri, Conte and De Zerbi brought the idea to the league as The Athletic'sMichael Cox explains in his book, The Mixer: The Story of Premier League Tactics. Since then, other coaches and teams have been taking note of quick build-ups and have been trying to use them as an attacking tool against the press. In the seven seasons since Sarri's only Premier League campaign, there has been a consistent rise in quick build-ups. These are defined as short goal-kick sequences that reach the height of the opponent's penalty area or end in a shot within 30 seconds. Looking at the rate of quick build-ups per 100 goal kicks in the Premier League, there has been a year-on-year increase, reaching 5.6 this season — double the rate in 2018-19. Interestingly, the passing combinations that are used to cut through the opposition press have varied from one Premier League team to another. Under Unai Emery, Aston Villa's quick build-ups have revolved around finding their attacking midfielders between the lines and allowing them to combine in those spaces. In Villa's 2-1 victory against Manchester City in December, Morgan Rogers' goal started from a goal kick. Here, Rogers drops behind City's midfield to offer a passing option as Emiliano Martinez plays the ball to Pau Torres. When Torres finds Rogers, Youri Tielemans is unmarked on the other side, with Rico Lewis in no man's land. Rogers' position forces Kyle Walker to move up… … and the Villa forward receives the ball with his left foot and dribbles with his right to roll City's right-back. Jhon Duran's movement creates a bigger space for Rogers to dribble into as the centre-forward moves Manuel Akanji away. Meanwhile, Lewis can't mark Tielemans because he has to drop and defend that space. Rogers then plays the ball wide to John McGinn… … and the unmarked Tielemans makes an overlapping run, which attracts Josko Gvardiol and forces Lewis to defend McGinn. With Duran occupying Akanji and Walker, McGinn finds Rogers near the edge of the penalty area… … and the latter strikes the ball into the far bottom corner to double Villa's lead. Bournemouth have played in a more direct approach under Andoni Iraola, and the long balls down the left side have been a feature of their attacking play. However, these long passes from their centre-backs aren't a reaction to the opponent's press, rather a solution to break it, with left-back, Milos Kerkez, and the left-winger synchronising their movements to combine and attack the space. In this example, from Bournemouth's 2-1 victory against City in November, Mark Travers plays the short goal kick to Marcos Senesi and, as the left centre-back plays the ball to Antoine Semenyo, Kerkez dashes forward… … and the left-back's run occupies Walker. This allows Semenyo to freely dribble forward after controlling the ball… … which forces Akanji to step out of the defensive line. Meanwhile, Kerkez is continuing his run, and Semenyo finds him behind City's back four. The speed of the attack and the movement of Kerkez create a four-versus-three situation for Bournemouth, and their left-back finds Evanilson's run into the penalty area… … before the Brazilian slots the ball into the bottom corner. Meanwhile, Liverpool have been using Mohamed Salah as an outlet against the press this season, with different build-up patterns to complement the Egyptian forward. One solution has been to drop the centre-forward towards the touchline when Liverpool are building up down their right side. In this example, Darwin Nunez's off-ball run to the right drags Bournemouth's right centre-back, Illia Zabarnyi, out of position while the other centre-back, Dean Huijsen, marks Salah. Advertisement From the short goal kick, Ibrahima Konate plays a long ball down the right wing towards Nunez. The peculiar positioning of Zabarnyi and Nunez, coupled with the trajectory of Konate's pass, puts Kerkez in a dilemma. If Bournemouth's left-back goes into the aerial duel and Nunez wins the header, Salah is in a one-versus-one situation; if he doesn't, Zabarnyi will be dragged out of position to defend Kerkez's zone. Kerkez has less than two seconds to consider this and his hesitation allows Nunez to flick the ball towards Salah, with Zabarnyi being dragged out of position. Salah then returns the pass to Nunez, who is attacking the space behind Kerkez… … and the striker finishes the attack by curling the ball into the back of the net. One team that has evolved their possession game in 2024-25 is Brentford, and their passing combinations in the wide areas are another variation of the quick build-ups in the Premier League. Their first goal in the Premier League this season, against Crystal Palace in August, is an example of how their wide combinations cut through the opponents' press. Here, Thomas Frank's side are building up in a 4-2 shape, with Christian Norgaard and Vitaly Janelt in front of the defence… … and higher up the pitch, Yoane Wissa is dropping to act as the second attacking midfielder next to Mathias Jensen, while Bryan Mbeumo and Kevin Schade are stretching the defence. Wissa's movement drags Joachim Andersen out of position, and Brentford's right-back, Mads Roerslev, plays the ball into the dropping centre-forward to start the passing sequence. Trying to find the free man before Palace adjust their pressing, Wissa plays a one-touch pass to Norgaard, and the Denmark midfielder quickly finds Janelt in space. Having been dragged up to Brentford's half, Andersen tries to press Janelt but the German dribbles past him while Wissa and Norgaard attack the space the centre-back has vacated. As a result, Adam Wharton is forced to leave Jensen free and defend Wissa… … who receives the ball in space, with Marc Guehi (No 6 below) unable to commit to marking him because of the threat of Mbeumo out wide. Mbeumo starts his run before Wissa receives the ball, which puts him ahead of Guehi when Wissa plays it into his path. Meanwhile, Jensen and Schade are in a two-versus-one situation on the opposite side… … which adds to Mbeumo's options inside the penalty area. However, the Cameroon forward dribbles inside the pitch before curling the ball into the bottom corner. When Sarri, Conte and De Zerbi used vertical passing combinations to play through the opponents' press, it was a distinct feature of their sides. The effectiveness of the quick build-ups made it a lucrative attacking solution, and in 2024-25, it has become an important tool rather than a unique one. To quote Conte's Instagram post about Tottenham's quick build-up goals against Manchester City in 2021-22: 'Counterattacks?!? Maybe not…'
Daily Mail
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Roberto De Zerbi spotted in 4am street party with Marseille fans after securing major achievement in France - as ex-Premier League boss waves FLARE during lively celebrations
Marseille manager Roberto De Zerbi was spotted waving a flare with the club's supporters during a wild street party at 4am this weekend. The French club sealed Champions League qualification for next season with a 3-1 win over Le Havre on Saturday, with the top three teams in Ligue 1 earning a spot in Europe's elite competition. With one game to play, Marseille now sit in second place with a point more than Monaco — and crucially four more points than Nice in fourth. After finishing eighth in LaLiga last season and failing to qualify for Europe altogether, Marseille have enjoyed a superb campaign during De Zerbi's debut term at the club and will hope to mount a significant title challenge against perennial champions Paris Saint-Germain in the future. Marseille fans flooded the streets of the city on Saturday night to celebrate the huge achievement — with parties still continuing long into Sunday and Monday. De Zerbi was spotted in the thick of the celebrations this weekend, pictured holding a bright red flare while fans recorded him on their mobile phones. Through the red mist created by the pyrotechnic, the Italian could be seen with a glowing — if not a little mischievous — expression on his face as he celebrated the club's return to the prestigious competition. Marseille are the only French club to win the Champions League during the competition's entire history, although that may well change at the end of the month with PSG set to meet Inter Milan in the final in Munich. The club's last appearance in the Champions League came during the 2022-23 season, when they failed to reach the knockout stage following two wins and four losses from six matches. According to BFM Marseille Provence, the team's celebrations are set to continue in Spain this week — with players having jetted to Madrid on Monday. The report claims that De Zerbi has not joined his players on this occasion, although some members of staff have accompanied them. Former Manchester United forward Mason Greenwood, who joined Marseille on a five-year deal last summer, has been a revelation for the French side and is already attracting interest from multiple clubs ahead of next season. Only Paris Saint-Germain striker and Ballon d'Or contender Ousmane Dembele has eclipsed Greenwood's tally of 19 goals in Ligue 1 this season, with his goals a huge reason why the club has returned to the Champions League. Greenwood's 17-year association with Manchester United ended after he was arrested and charged with attempted rape, assault and controlling and coercive behaviour. Charges against the player were dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service following the 'withdrawal of key witnesses and new material coming to light'. Greenwood vehemently denied the allegations and left the Premier League in an attempt to revive his career abroad, having not played for the Red Devils between January 2022 and his exit last summer. Despite his crucial goal contribution, the former Manchester United youngster is not a player Marseille are absolutely desperate to retain, according to RMC Sport. The outlet claim that the club will consider a strong offer tabled for the forward. Meanwhile, the Telegraph claimed last week that two Premier League clubs were weighing up a move for the striker. The former Brighton manager has spoken glowingly of Greenwood this season and believes he 'has the qualities' to join the pantheon of all-time greats at Marseille. 'Greenwood is a natural talent,' said De Zerbi. 'All the credit goes to his mother and father. And I'm here to help him become more complete. 'When he needs a hug, a word of support, I gladly give it. And when I need to push him to give more, I have to do that too because that's my job.'
