Mumbai, January 9: Marseille coach Roberto De Zerbi was so confounded by his team's bad form that he considered quitting just months after arriving. That was back in November when, following home defeats to Paris Saint-Germain and Auxerre, he said he was ready to leave. The 45-year-old Italian soon backtracked and affirmed his commitment to stay and turn things around. Whatever he told the players at that time clearly worked, as did an arduous four-day camp. There were daily 5 a.m. wake-up calls for jogs on an empty stomach, followed by twice-daily training sessions. Ligue 1 2024슬롯사이트“25: French Football Federation Says AS Monaco슬롯사이트™s Wilfried Singo Should Have Been Sent Off for Causing Facial Injury to Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Marseille is looking much sharper and fitter as a result. The 1993 Champions League winner has won five of its six matches since the Auxerre loss and drawn the other against Lille 슬롯사이트” a decent result considering Lille is undefeated in all competitions since mid-September.

Marseille has rediscovered its touch, too, scoring 17 goals during that period, and has moved into second place in Ligue 1 behind leader Paris Saint-Germain, which is seven points ahead after 16 rounds. Marseille travels to play Rennes on Saturday and PSG hosts lowly Saint-Etienne on Sunday.

De Zerbi has tightened things up tactically and is starting to work Marseille into a more streamlined side. During his time with Brighton in the English Premier League, he earned a reputation as a shrewd tactician capable of beating bigger teams. Ivory Coast Midfielder Seko Fofana Joins French Club Rennes After Spell in Saudi Arabia슬롯사이트™s Al Nassr.

He left Brighton after two seasons, having raised the team to its highest ever top-flight finish of sixth, and into the last 16 of the Europa League. De Zerbi's decision to join Marseille, which has passionate but impatient fans, surprised many observers.

Even before his time at Brighton, De Zerbi had earned good reviews in Italy with Benevento and Sassuolo. He was widely praised for guiding Sassuolo to back-to-back eighth-place finishes in Serie A and touted as one of the best young coaches in Europe.

He had bigger clubs than Marseille calling for him last summer, but perhaps he saw the depth of Marseille's potential 슬롯사이트” which is the only French club to win the Champions League and has a 67,000-capacity stadium. Adrien Rabiot Scores As Olympique de Marseille Wins 2슬롯사이트“0 at Saint-Etienne To Retain Second Place in Ligue 1 2024슬롯사이트“25 Points Table.

De Zerbi has instilled a healthy competition for places within his squad and strengthened it further on Tuesday by signing central defender Luiz Felipe, who made over 100 appearances for Lazio in Serie A from 2017-22. Felipe's arrival comes after De Zerbi reproached his players for conceding too many goals 슬롯사이트” 19 in the league so far, compared with 14 for PSG and 16 for third-place Monaco and fourth-place Lille.

슬롯사이트œWe need so start thinking that 5-0 and 5-1 are not the same thing,슬롯사이트 he said after Sunday's 5-1 home rout of Le Havre at Stade Velodrome. 슬롯사이트œWe need to make other teams understand that scoring a goal against us is difficult.슬롯사이트

Felipe said the possibility of playing under De Zerbi was 슬롯사이트œfundamental슬롯사이트 in his decision to join.

슬롯사이트œI have known De Zerbi since he was Sassuolo, it was always difficult to play against him,슬롯사이트 Felipe said.

Key players have emerged into leadership roles, such as Argentina goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli and France midfielder Adrien Rabiot. Playing in a role higher up the field allows Rabiot to make more dangerous use of his excellent passing range and eye for long-distance shooting. Mason Greenwood슬롯사이트™s Late Penalty Helps Olympique de Marseille Beat AS Monaco 2슬롯사이트“1 and Move Into Second Place in Ligue 1 2024슬롯사이트“25 Points Table.

Signing the 29-year-old Rabiot was seen as something of a coup of Marseille, considering that he is entering his prime years and his wealth of experience with Italian giant Juventus (212 matches overall) and France (50 caps).

슬롯사이트œWe need two, three, four or five Rabiots,슬롯사이트 De Zerbi said recently. Then he added, jokingly: 슬롯사이트œI asked him if he has any brothers, but unfortunately they don't play football.슬롯사이트

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