OM Departure: De Zerbi’s Masterstroke

To strengthen bonds and approach the final sprint under the best possible conditions, Roberto De Zerbi took his squad to Rome.

This three-day trip, far from the hustle and bustle of Marseille, allowed OM to refocus on its main goal: qualification for the Champions League. An operation that has been praised internally.

In order to best prepare for the end of the season and to get away from the tensions inherent at La Commanderie, OM decided to organize a training retreat in Rome. Roberto De Zerbi took his men to his home country for a three-day and three-night stay. While a delegation visited the Vatican to pay tribute to Pope Francis, this trip to Italy was anything but a tourist getaway for the OM players, all of whom were present except for Chancel Mbemba and Ruben Blanco.

A close acquaintance of an OM player confided to La Provence:

“They were mainly focused on the club’s goal — qualifying for the Champions League — far from the agitation of Marseille.”

The daily newspaper specifies that Roberto De Zerbi showed his players many video sequences to best prepare for the upcoming match against Brest. From now on, OM can no longer afford any mistakes in Ligue 1.

Another source revealed:

“They worked a lot, but in a good atmosphere.”

“The atmosphere was very positive”

Roberto De Zerbi has clearly succeeded in his goal: bringing the group back together. La Provence reports that at La Commanderie, the Italian retreat was hailed:

“The atmosphere was very positive, we managed to create what we wanted and brought a good dynamic within the group.”

Now, the question is whether this renewed spirit will show on the pitch. The answer will come this Sunday evening against Brest, in a crucial match to maintain second place.