Roberto De Zerbi denied on Friday any relationship problem with Jean-Pierre Papin, coach of the club’s reserve team, while the former Ballon d’Or spoke of difficulties with a member of management.
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“We didn’t see each other much, but when we did see each other, it went well”. Roberto De Zerbi affirms it: “j‘I have a good relationship with Jean-Pierre’. “I arrived after him and I know how to respect people who have a bigger history than mine in this club.” declared the Olympian coach in the introduction to his weekly press conference this Friday, November 1, I respect people and I did not disrespect Papin, the gardener, the storekeepers, or anyone“.
Mid-week, L’Equipe and La Provence discussed difficult relations between Jean-Pierre Papin, whose team is currently at the top of its group in National 3 (5th division), and Ali Zarrak, head of the “Pro 2” group at OM and who is, as such, the liaison between the reserve and De Zerbi’s staff.
“I have a problem with a certain person and I don’t hide it. I’m a coach and I can’t accept that this person chooses my five substitutes. It’s unacceptable.”declared Papin, in an interview this Friday in La Provence. No name, but in this same interview, the 1991 Ballon d’Or, who took charge of the reserve team, in November 2023 assures that he understands “very, very GOOD” with De Zerbi, of whom he “applies all wishes”particularly in the management of the playing time of certain young people who sometimes play with him and sometimes with the first team.
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