Roberto De Zerbi Does Not Escape Marseille Fan Wrath Amid 3-0 Cup Win Over Rennes
Roberto De Zerbi steered his side to victory but it's only the first of many steps towards redemption.
Giuseppe Labellarte
Updated on 04 February 2026
Roberto De Zerbi led Marseille to a 3-0 win over Rennes in a French Cup match in which home fans made their feelings about the club very clear.
Marseille supporters protested against “everyone” at the club, including the board, the players and the head coach.
De Zerbi’s Marseille future was in serious doubt just last week, but he subsequently went public to say he wouldn’t be leaving.
Marseille suffered a shock Champions League elimination and are seriously off the pace in Ligue 1.
This means the French Cup is their last chance of silverware, and fans made clear how high the stakes were.
Roberto De Zerbi not directly targeted but Marseille fans say ‘everyone is responsible’
The build-up to Tuesday night’s match was tense after a damaging run, including Champions League elimination against Club Brugge.
Ahead of the match, some local ultras showed up at OM’s last training session and requested – and obtained – a meeting with the players.
During the game, fans unfurled a number of banners criticising the direction of the club.
One referenced “28/01/2026, we won’t forget”, pointing back to that European humiliation at the end of January.
Another message went further, criticising “lack of stability, ambition and courage” and insisting that “everyone is responsible”.
A third banner delivered an ultimatum: after “shame and disgust”, winning the Coupe de France was described as “mandatory”.
Roberto De Zerbi and how Marseille answered with a 3-0 win
Roberto De Zerbi’s Marseille side responded in the best possible way.
They cruised to a 3-0 win over Rennes to reach the Coupe de France quarter-finals.
Amine Gouiri, Mason Greenwood and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang were on the scoresheet as Marseille turned a tense evening into a comfortable result.
USMNT star Tim Weah also delivered an incredible assist for Marseille to break the deadlock.
WHAT EFFORT by Tim Weah to set up Marseille’s first goal against Rennes 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/rlzj1EoVaX
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) February 3, 2026
But despite the easy victory, De Zerbi experienced moments of nervousness, as evidenced by the yellow card he was given in the 97th minute for protesting.
Nonetheless, the victory lifted the mood inside the Velodrome, even if it did not fully erase the anger that had dominated the build-up.
For De Zerbi, it offered breathing space after days of noise, rumours and public frustration around the club.
But it is only a first step. Marseille still need to stabilise their league form, and the cup route looks even tougher with Paris Saint-Germain waiting.
It will not be easy, yet De Zerbi will be keen to build on this performance and push for a strong finish to the season.
Manchester United like De Zerbi, so clearly it shows he’s a good head coach. But now, he’s got to well and truly prove just how good he is.
Giuseppe Labellarte
Giuseppe Labellarte is a sports journalist with over a decade of professional experience in the industry. His main professional expertise is in soccer. Prior to joining FootItalia, he worked for the likes of Sports Mole, TBR Football, the Chelsea Chronicle and numerous other sites, along with having bylines in the likes of the Nottingham Post. He holds degrees in Journalism and International Relations.
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