Roberto De Zerbi has stepped down from his role as head coach of Olympique Marseille after reaching a mutual agreement with the club to part ways with immediate effect.
The decision follows a difficult run of results for the Ligue 1 side.
Discussions about De Zerbi’s future reportedly began after Marseille’s 3–0 defeat to Club Brugge on January 28, a result that saw them eliminated from the UEFA Champions League.
Although both parties initially agreed to continue working together, Sunday’s heavy 5–0 loss to Paris Saint-Germain ultimately confirmed the decision for a separation.
The managerial change comes just a week after the arrival of Nigerian international Tochukwu Nnadi.
The midfielder has yet to feature in the squad under De Zerbi, despite the club playing two matches since his signing.
Assistant manager Jacques Abardonado is expected to take temporary charge of the team ahead of Marseille’s upcoming league fixture against Strasbourg.
Nnadi will be aiming to catch Abardonado’s attention in training in hopes of earning a place in Saturday’s matchday squad and potentially making his first appearance for the club.
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Meanwhile, the club has reportedly commenced the search for a permanent replacement for De Zerbi and Super Eagles coach, Eric Chelle is one of the candidates for the job.
Chelle emerged as a candidate hours after De Zerbi’s resignation. However, other names touted for the job include Morocco’s Walid Regragui and former Stade Rennais boss Habib Beye.
