Olympique de Marseille have officially announced the termination of Roberto De Zerbi’s contract by mutual consent, bringing the Italian coach’s tenure to an end after just a year and a half in charge.
The decision follows a series of heavy setbacks, including a humiliating 5–0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain at the Parc des Princes in Ligue 1, as well as a crushing loss in Bruges that confirmed Marseille’s elimination from the UEFA Champions League.
In an official statement published on the club’s X account, Marseille confirmed that the decision was reached collectively after internal discussions involving the club owner, president, sporting director, and head coach. The statement described the move as a “difficult but unanimous decision” made in the best interest of the club as it faces crucial sporting challenges in the final stretch of the season.
The club also expressed gratitude to De Zerbi for his professionalism and commitment, highlighting in particular the second-place finish achieved during the 2024–2025 campaign.
Appointed in the summer of 2024, the 46-year-old Italian initially delivered strong results, but mounting pressure followed a sharp decline in performances. Marseille were eliminated from the Champions League after a 3–0 home defeat to Liverpool and another 3–0 loss in Bruges, effectively ending their European ambitions.
De Zerbi acknowledged the team’s struggles, admitting he lacked solutions to reverse the downturn. “I have no explanation; that’s the biggest problem right now. If I had a solution, I would have found it at any cost,” he said following the recent defeats.
Currently sitting fourth in Ligue 1, 12 points behind league leaders Paris Saint-Germain, Marseille will now aim to stabilize their campaign as they prepare to host Strasbourg at the Stade Vélodrome on Saturday.
