Marseille Manager De Zerbi Ties Future To Benatia Departure

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Roberto De Zerbi states that personal loyalty will decide future plans at Marseille, making clear that departure by sporting director Medhi Benatia would trigger the same choice. De Zerbi links contract security directly to Benatia and Marseille president Pablo Longoria, stressing that both leaders were responsible for appointing De Zerbi at the club.

The coach underlines that work with Benatia goes beyond routine collaboration, describing a relationship based on trust and shared responsibility. De Zerbi confirms that any change in the leadership structure, especially involving Benatia, would immediately affect De Zerbi’s own position, regardless of contract duration or sporting results with Marseille.

Benatia’s contract with Marseille runs until 2027, the same year De Zerbi’s deal expires, but the coach insists that the written term is secondary. De Zerbi explains that Benatia and Longoria were central to negotiations, and that De Zerbi does not picture remaining at Marseille if either figure steps away from club management.

Speculation around Medhi Benatia’s future increased after the Trophee des Champions defeat against Paris Saint-Germain in Kuwait. Marseille led 2-1 entering the 95th minute, but conceded late and then lost on penalties. Following the match, Benatia addressed reporters and said: "You'll soon see that there will be others in our place, and we'll have to give them time to work because in Marseille, you never have time."

Those remarks echoed earlier hints from Benatia last year, leading to questions over possible changes in Marseille’s sporting structure. Ahead of the Coupe de France round-of-32 tie against Bayeux, De Zerbi was asked about Benatia’s words and responded by first stressing the depth of Benatia’s personal connection with both the club and the city.

De Zerbi said: "Benatia loves Marseille, perhaps even more than I do, since he was born and raised here." The coach then highlighted Benatia’s influence on De Zerbi’s own arrival, underlining that the sporting director played a decisive role when Marseille chose De Zerbi as coach and outlined the project together with Longoria.

Expanding on that theme, De Zerbi stated: "He's the one who brought me here. I'm a loyal and honest person. The day Benatia leaves, I'll leave too. I don't think he was referring to whether he was going to leave or not; that's something you'd have to ask him personally." De Zerbi clarified that interpretation of Benatia’s message should come directly from Benatia.

De Zerbi later added further detail on his relationship with the club hierarchy, saying: "I got here thanks to Medhi and Pablo [Longoria, Marseille president]. If one of those two is no longer here, given that they're the ones who brought me here The day Benatia leaves, I'll leave too. Not because I can't work without him, because I've already done it. But to be fair, I don't think he was referring to leaving at the end of this season; he didn't mention it to me. But you'd have to ask him directly." That stance frames Marseille’s upcoming domestic fixtures against Bayeux and beyond against a backdrop of uncertainty around leadership continuity.