Olympique de Marseille’s Italian coach Roberto De Zerbi was interviewed on journalist Alessandro Cattelan’s Supernova program. In particular, he was asked to reflect on the Champions League final between Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Milan on May 31. A “strange” 5-0 scoreline, but one that Italy should have seen coming if it had been better informed.
De Zerbi “Italian soccer was presumptuous, not Inter.”
“Italy didn’t know PSG. Italy underestimated it, Italian soccer was presumptuous, not Inter. They didn’t know that they were kicking off from the sidelines, they didn’t know that Dembelé was ready like that, they didn’t know that Doué had Yamal-level talent, that Vitinha was perhaps the strongest midfielder in the world today, that João Neves was trained by Portugal, they didn’t know which country Pacho came from.
De Zerbi “they even snubbed the championship.”
What about the score?
A strange result, because Inter are a great team and Inzaghi a great coach, and there can’t be a five-goal gap. PSG dominated Liverpool and many other teams. We finished second behind them.
In Italy, they didn’t write anything: they even snubbed the championship thinking it was an average championship, which isn’t true. Lille reached the last 16, Brest made it through to the final round before being crushed by PSG, Monaco played badly against Inter but won against Barcelona.”
A strong statement, with the outspokenness we know so well. There’s some truth in what he says: Italy, like other countries, undoubtedly underestimated PSG and Ligue 1. Yet the signs were clear for the Parisian team with their Champions League run.
Nor could such a gap, a clear-cut 5-0, have been foreseen. However, the Italian media could well have been wary of PSG, with their in-form players and perfectly-oiled collective. This title win should help Paris and French soccer to be taken more seriously. Even if there’s still work to be done, with big performances still to come. Not just for Paris, if possible.
