Roberto De Zerbi wants to quit! Marseille receive resignation from fiery Italian manager after Champions League elimination

Former Shakhtar Donetsk and Brighton boss De Zerbi took the reins at Marseille in 2024. He inherited a talented squad and was able to add the likes of former Manchester United forward Mason Greenwood to his ranks.

A productive debut campaign at the helm delivered qualification for elite European competition, with ambitious plans for the future being drawn up. Inconsistency has, however, been an issue in the 2025-26 season.

Matters came to a head there when suffering a humbling 3-0 defeat to Club Brugge in continental competition. A costly defeat in Belgium saw Marseille slip to 25th spot in the Champions League table.

Only the top 24 progress to at least the knockout play-off round, meaning that a European adventure has been brought to a close for De Zerbi and Co. It was reported by RMC Sport that Marseille bosses were considering wielding the axe after witnessing a disappointing tumble out of the Champions League.

De Zerbi did not oversee a training session on Thursday that saw Marseille make use of the facilities at Clairefontaine ahead of their league meeting with Paris FC on Saturday. Inevitable questions were asked of the man in the dugout.

According to Foot Mercato, De Zerbi has offered to walk away. Talks are said to have taken place between all parties, with a formal announcement on what happens next expected to be made shortly.

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De Zerbi admits to being a coach that has to be able to immerse himself fully in any given role, with support from his board above and playing staff below required at all times. He has previously told The Telegraph: “If you want to describe me in one word, maybe you could label me as ‘passionate’. Passion is the word that suits me the most. It’s a privilege to have found a job that feeds my passion.”

He was considered to have found the ideal role at Stade Velodrome, with a passionate fan base crying out for somebody to rekindle former glories in the south of France. De Zerbi relished that responsibility when taking the reins.

The 46-year-old said: “Why do I really like it here in Marseille? Because it is a reflection of my life and work and Olympique Marseille and the Velodrome reflect the city’s life in terms of social environment and what is Marseille. 

“In England, for example, the life from Monday to Friday is well-defined and then you have the weekend. You can find the company manager working in a suit and tie from Monday to Friday and on Saturday he goes to the stadium to watch a game, while in Marseille football fulfils the city.

“I think that Marseille wouldn’t be Marseille without the club and the same goes for me. I wouldn’t be myself without football. The city can’t exist without OM and my life is the same. I can’t exist without football, not this Roberto.”

De Zerbi has been billed as a Manchester City manager of the future, with Guillem Balague claiming as much. He has told BBC Sport: “He just takes football to another level, that's what I think he's doing.

“There is somebody else who has taken football to where Pep [Guardiola] has developed it to and he's willing and starting to do the next thing and the last thing that's left is to organise an attack where the players do not just do what their instinct says but what they've been training. That's difficult for Guardiola because he has big players who have won a lot but that's what De Zerbi is doing with his players and it's just wonderful to see.”

Balagua added that he had the “impression” that De Zerbi will end up at the Etihad Stadium. It remains to be seen whether that prediction rings true, with the Italian seemingly readying himself for another new challenge. He has been mooted as a potential long-term successor to Ruben Amorim at Manchester United.