Latest news with #PabloLongoria
Yahoo
3 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
6 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.
Arab News
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Arab News
Marseille president rules out move to sign Man City great De Bruyne
MARSEILLE: Kevin De Bruyne will be hot property when he leaves Manchester City and many clubs would love to sign him next season. Marseille are not one of them. Club president Pablo Longoria has ruled out a move for the 33-year-old playmaker because he thinks signing a player of such stature might prove disruptive. 'If we take a player with a much higher salary than the players we have in the squad today, who qualified us for the Champions League, it destroys all the balance, all the good things, the good dynamic the players built,' Longoria said. 'It would be, on the part of a club, a total lack of respect for the players who helped us qualify for the Champions League.' Marseille finished second in Ligue 1 behind champion Paris Saint-Germain and qualified directly for next season's Champions League. De Bruyne was set to make his final home appearance for City later Tuesday against Bournemouth after 10 trophy-laden years at the club. He is one of City's greatest ever players and won 16 trophies with the club, including six Premier League titles and the Champions League. De Bruyne shares the record for the highest number of assists in a single Premier League season with 20, and scored more than 100 goals for City.
Associated Press
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Marseille president rules out move to sign Man City great De Bruyne
MARSEILLE, France (AP) — Kevin De Bruyne will be hot property when he leaves Manchester City and many clubs would love to sign him next season. Marseille is not one of them. Club president Pablo Longoria has ruled out a move for the 33-year-old playmaker because he thinks signing a player of such stature might prove disruptive. 'If we take a player with a much higher salary than the players we have in the squad today, who qualified us for the Champions League, it destroys all the balance, all the good things, the good dynamic the players built,' Longoria said. 'It would be, on the part of a club, a total lack of respect for the players who helped us qualify for the Champions League.' Marseille finished second in Ligue 1 behind champion Paris Saint-Germain and qualified directly for next season's Champions League. De Bruyne was set to make his final home appearance for City later Tuesday against Bournemouth after 10 trophy-laden years at the club. He is one of City's greatest ever players and won 16 trophies with the club, including six Premier League titles and the Champions League. De Bruyne shares the record for the highest number of assists in a single Premier League season with 20, and scored more than 100 goals for City. ___ AP soccer:
The Guardian
27-02-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
Madrid and Marseille lead anti-referee epidemic but no officials means no game
It was so refreshing to hear one of the world's best players defend referees last week. Real Madrid's Federico Valverde reminded us that officials are people too – just like us. If you prick Darren Cann, does he not bleed? 'I'm not one to judge the referee,' Valverde said in the press conference before Madrid's victory over Manchester City. 'We are all human and we can make mistakes. Referees are also criticised a lot and when they do things well, they are not flattered either.' Pity then that within the hour he had gone on X to apologise, or at least clarify, why he hadn't (yes, hadn't) criticised referees during the presser. 'I don't want anyone to misunderstand me, but above all I want to clarify for our fans: if today I don't talk about the refereeing we are suffering it is because I KNOW MYSELF, and I must focus on tomorrow. Everyone has seen what is happening to us in this league, and I don't forget it, but now we have to focus on tomorrow, and I will be 100% as I have always been.' That pressure may have come from the angry bit of the Madrid internet fanbase – I don't know them well but I look forward to making their acquaintance after this article is published. Or it's not inconceivable that it came from the club. Madrid are convinced the refs are against them, to the point where they sent a letter to the Spanish Football Federation and the government claiming that the 'Spanish officiating system is completely biased' and 'structurally designed to protect itself' with backing from disciplinary committees under the federation. The decision that tipped them over the edge was Espanyol's Carlos Romero only being booked for a pretty wild lunge on Kylian Mbappé before going on to score the winner in their La Liga game this month. If I supported Madrid I'd have been annoyed, but for the club to write to the government – this is really helpful stuff guys. What football really needs is some liquid paraffin poured on to the online conspiracy theories from probably the biggest club in the world. Madrid are not alone. The Marseille president, Pablo Longoria, has just been given a 15-game ban for accusing French referees of corruption after a defeat by Auxerre last Saturday: 'This is corruption! I've never seen anything like it. You can write it down: Pablo Longoria says it's corruption.' It is hard to be sure, but it sounds as if he thinks it's corruption – at least he thought it was corruption. Longoria later backtracked: 'Everyone explained to me what it [corruption] meant in French, because in Spanish it has a broader meaning.' Does chinny reckon have a broader meaning in Spanish too? Meanwhile over in Turkey, the Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic was drafted in to officiate Monday's Istanbul derby between Galatasaray and Fenerbahce. Subsequently Trabzonspor made an official request for Vincic to officiate their games against Fenerbahce and Galatasaray. The Besiktas president, Serdal Adali, has also requested foreign referees for the same opposition. Fortunately for Vincic, Besiktas haven't personally requested him. How much time does he want to spend in Turkey? Doesn't he have Slovenian games to ref? Slovenian places to be? It is clearly unworkable for clubs to request who referees their games – not to mention what it says about Turkish clubs' attitudes to their own officials. The real-life consequence is referees being targeted online and in person. Of course, this isn't new. Anders Frisk retired after receiving threats from Chelsea fans in the wake of that 2005 Champions League last-16, first-leg defeat by Barcelona. The Swiss ref Urs Meier spent 10 days in hiding after the Sun printed his email address after England's defeat by Portugal in 2004. But how many people who may want to take up refereeing, and who may be really good at it, will be put off by what's happening now? In late 2023, Uefa announced that across Europe there was a shortfall of about 40,000 referees. Meanwhile according to 2024 data published by the Football Association at grassroots level, allegations relating to the assault and attempted assault of match officials increased by 32% from 2022-23. Sign up to Football Daily Kick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football after newsletter promotion So what should we do about it? Clearly there are sanctions that governing bodies can take. But the responsibility lies with all of us. Managers should stop criticising refs in their post-match interviews, deflecting from their teams' mistakes. Broadcasters should think about their content. Sure, you can fill hours with a former ref saying: 'Yeh that should have been a red, Sam Barrott will be disappointed with that.' But who's doing the show on all the correct decisions? And some decisions are worth talking about: you can't review last weekend's Everton v Manchester United game without talking about the Ashley Young penalty overturn. Sensible criticism of real issues – the implementation of VAR, diversity within the PGMOL, the handball law – are important. Supporters in the ground and online have to hold their tongues in the heat of the moment. Of course that is virtually impossible – a ground full of 30,000 partial people is not a place of logic; you remember the injustices, you forget the luck. Amateur footballers have to take a beat when a ref makes a bad call. Say nothing. Just look up to sky and think happy thoughts. I have complained countless times to refs – never abusively. Once one stopped me to say he'd just read a previous column I'd written on the Respect campaign. We both laughed but it's instinctive. I'm an average player, I make bad decisions on the pitch all the time – I can't expect the person officiating my game to be elite. People talk of the football family but attitudes to officials show just how much the game at almost every level is dictated by self-interest, exacerbated by bad-faith actors using their power or their platform or social media to deflect from their mistakes or shortcomings. There will be very occasional cases of referees fixing games, as there are with players, but that does not prove endless baseless accusations just because the VAR once went to a Watford game. It is simple: no ref means no game and if major stakeholders within football insist on putting themselves above the trust in the institution of refereeing, then this situation is only going to get worse. Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? 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