Football manager Roberto De Zerbi has publicly responded to recent comments made by Veronique Rabiot, the mother and agent of midfielder Adrien Rabiot. Adrien was controversially placed on Marseille’s transfer list following a reported dressing room altercation with Jonathan Rowe, which occurred after OM`s 1-0 defeat to Rennes last week. De Zerbi used a press conference to counter Rabiot’s accusations of club double standards, specifically her remarks regarding Mason Greenwood receiving a “second chance.”
“I put my pride aside, but I don`t consider myself more important than Rabiot; a clear hierarchy exists,” De Zerbi stated. He then added emphatically, “For Rabiot`s mother to claim we gave Greenwood a second chance… that`s truly absurd.”
De Zerbi further clarified his position: “We are discussing individuals` private lives here, and it`s simply inappropriate to comment on others. This refers to a dispute that took place in the workplace. While Rabiot`s mother might say I `bark` – which is true, as evidenced in the series about OM – I am also fully capable of embracing Rabiot and demonstrating our unwavering support for him.”
These statements from De Zerbi were a direct reaction to remarks Veronique Rabiot made yesterday in an interview with La Provence, where she pointed to what she perceived as the club’s hypocritical standards. She questioned, “When Mason Greenwood signed after allegations of hitting his girlfriend, De Zerbi suggested he deserved a second chance. I agree with giving people second chances, but why should my son be the only one denied such an opportunity?”
Rabiot continued, labelling the situation as “a betrayal.” “They praised Adrien for an entire season, only to then disparage him and deliberately damage his image. This is extremely serious. I will say it again: they are being untruthful,” Veronique asserted in the interview, which was published on Friday morning. “Furthermore, they are simply unfit for their roles. They lack the appropriate qualities for the position, being consumed by excessive pride and oversized egos, and demonstrating an inability to manage their own emotions.”