Olympique de Marseille entered the international break with a building sense of excitement. The club have started the campaign well under Roberto De Zerbi winning twice and drawing at home to Stade de Reims. 

It’s a record that sees Les Phocéens second in the table behind only their arch-rivals Paris Saint-Germain. The manager has brought back a sense of belief in the club after a difficult and chaotic campaign last year that saw the team excel in Europe but limp to a disappointing finish in Ligue 1 that saw Marseille miss out on European football. 

There was a total reset over the summer, with club president Pablo Longoria, sporting director Medhi Benatia, and De Zerbi all active in helping to bring about sweeping changes to the squad. The early signs for Marseille have been promising, with the team responding well to the new direction. 

Longoria plots Marseille’s Champions League return 

In an interview with L’Équipe, Longoria set out his shared vision for Les Phocéens. “Our goal is to build a three-year project. That’s our first goal. Secondly, we’re very happy with our start to the season. Our goal is also to participate in the Champions League and improve our level. After that, we will see what the competition has in store for us.” 

“We have to be ambitious for our fans, but at the same time, we have to be realistic. I’m not saying we can’t be competitive. I’m asking for a little patience because this is a three-year project and we want to improve every day, every week and every match day,” the president explained. 

GFFN | Nick Hartland