Olympique de Marseille manager Roberto De Zerbi addressed the media at the Santiago Bernabéu on the eve of his team’s Champions League opener against Real Madrid.
“We always prefer to play at home, but coming to Madrid is a source of pride,” De Zerbi said. “Being in the Champions League makes us very proud, and we have a great responsibility, since it’s a serious matter for Marseille. Everyone knows what the Bernabéu is all about.”
The Italian coach stressed the importance of focus and courage against
the greatest team in football history:
“It’s a match where you have to be very careful. We can’t lack courage in the attacking phase, because without courage, there’s no point in playing these kinds of matches. We have to come here and push; tomorrow isn’t a party.”
On Real Madrid players and Xabi Alonso’s influence
De Zerbi was also asked about some of Madrid’s midfielders, including players he admires, as well as one that Marseille nearly signed this summer. “Ceballos is a great player and a great person. Unfortunately, he didn’t come [to Marseille] and missed a great and unique opportunity to play for a special club. Tomorrow on the field, we’ll be rivals.”
On Aurélien Tchouaméni, he added: “Tchouameni is a great player, I’ve known him since he was at Monaco. I have enough problems with my players without thinking about other players. That’s Xabi’s job.”
The Marseille coach praised Real Madrid’s new boss Xabi Alonso, while also acknowledging Carlo Ancelotti’s legacy:
“Xabi’s style is clear. In my opinion, he’s already working very well, and you can see his influence. It’s not a comparison because Ancelotti has won more than anyone else, and I know him well. But in terms of his style of play, he’s making his mark and his vision clear.”
Marseille’s approach
De Zerbi confirmed that Marseille will not abandon their identity despite the magnitude of the occasion:
“We have our weapons and we have to take advantage of their quality. Tomorrow we’ll have three very strong midfielders who can combine quality and quantity. We have to bring both. Without quality, you won’t survive, and I don’t like quantity alone. It will be complicated. The style can be modified, but we don’t want to change it completely.”
He also emphasized how much this moment means to the club and its supporters: “It’s a responsibility and a satisfaction to have gotten 4,000 Marseille fans to come. We hope to give them and the rest of the team who will be in Marseille a little something to look forward to. We’ll try to make them happy.”
On refereeing and Real Sociedad–Real Madrid
Finally, De Zerbi was asked about the controversial red card shown to Dean Huijsen in Real Madrid’s weekend win at Anoeta:
“Huijsen wasn’t the last man. I don’t know how the referee interpreted it that way. In the match between Stade Rennais and Lorient, there was an identical situation, and they also gave a red card.”
Marseille arrive in Madrid looking to make an impression on Europe’s biggest stage under a manager who has quickly developed a reputation for bold, attack-minded football. De Zerbi made it clear: this is no sightseeing trip—his side are here to compete.
