MARSEILLE, France — The head coach of Marseille, Roberto De Zerbi, has clarified that he will remain with the club despite previously suggesting that he might consider leaving after a disappointing performance. Following a 3-1 defeat against newly promoted Auxerre at the Velodrome Stadium earlier this month, De Zerbi expressed that he would be open to departing if he was seen as the cause of the team’s struggles.

Under De Zerbi’s leadership, Marseille has had a promising start to the season, currently positioned in third place as they prepare for an upcoming match against Lens. However, the club has faced challenges at home, managing to secure only one victory in five matches played at the Velodrome.

De Zerbi, who concluded his tenure at Brighton after two successful seasons, notably guided the Premier League team to its best-ever finish of sixth place, and helped them reach the last 16 in the Europa League. His previous experience includes managing Shakhtar Donetsk, from which he departed by mutual agreement when the war in Ukraine disrupted the season.

In a recent statement, De Zerbi affirmed his commitment to Marseille, saying, “I will not resign or run away. I didn’t leave Ukraine when (Russian President Vladimir) Putin started bombing Kyiv. I’m not going to run away because of what happened. I believe in Marseille and in the players I coach. … I’m not going anywhere else.”