Roberto De Zerbi hailed a mature and commanding display from his Olympique Marseille side after they secured a 3-1 victory over RC Lens at the Orange Velodrome.
Against one of the division’s most demanding opponents, Marseille struck the right balance between control and cutting edge, continuing an attacking run that is already rewriting club history.
Straight from kick-off, Marseille matched Lens stride for stride, then gradually took control of the contest.
Despite acknowledging the visitors’ quality and work rate, De Zerbi felt his side could even have pushed the scoreline further, underlining the growing confidence within his squad as the campaign gathers momentum.
“We won against a very strong team,” he said. “They deserve to be ahead of us in the table.
“They have strong players who run a lot. We could have won by a bigger margin. The new signings have settled in well.
“We’re preparing for Wednesday’s match to try and take OM where it hasn’t been in the last 15 years.”
Tactically, the Italian coach pointed to the discipline and structure that underpinned the performance, particularly in midfield.
With OM playing every few days, De Zerbi stressed the importance of flexibility and sharp decision-making from the touchline.
“I do my job a little bit sometimes. The match is going as we prepared it with Hojbjerg in front of the defence.
“It was important that we positioned ourselves that way. Hojbjerg had his best performance since I arrived.”
Rotation, De Zerbi explained, is not about hierarchy but about readiness.
With another major European night looming, Marseille are carefully managing minutes while maintaining intensity across competitions.
“There is no hierarchy because I am the only one who decides. We play every three days, so we needed a change.
“Nwaneri and Timber are so strong that they don’t need much training. They won’t be able to play on Wednesday, so Kondogbia will be back.
“Wednesday will be a historic match for OM. We’ll need a strong team. Bruges are strong, they beat Monaco and gave FC Barcelona a hard time.”
Beyond the result, Marseille’s attacking numbers continue to tell a powerful story. With goals flowing freely, De Zerbi was unapologetic in pointing to the statistics as proof of progress under his stewardship.
“It’s up to you to say whether we played well. Nwaneri’s goal is perhaps more beautiful than Gouiri’s last one.
“I know how we played. Since 1970-1971, OM hasn’t scored as much as this season.
“The goal means we’re playing well. In 56 years, OM hasn’t scored as much after 20-21 games. I don’t have to convince you.”
As the final whistle echoed around the Velodrome, Marseille’s message was clear: confidence is growing, goals are flowing, and with history already being challenged, De Zerbi’s OM are now firmly focused on pushing the club into uncharted territory once again.
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