‘Italy underestimated PSG’ – Marseille coach Roberto De Zerbi slams Italian ‘snobbery’ over Ligue 1 | OneFootball

Olympique de Marseille manager Roberto De Zerbi has taken a swipe at the Italian football establishment in the aftermath of Paris Saint-Germain’s stunning 5-0 win over Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League final on May 31st.

Speaking on Italian podcast Supernova, De Zerbi accused his native country of underestimating the French champions and failing to appreciate the rise in quality across Ligue 1. The Italian tactician, who initially claimed he wouldn’t be watching the final at a press conference attended by Get French Football News – “I was going to spend the evening on Netflix” – later offered a blunt analysis of the one-sided result.“Italy didn’t know PSG. Italy underestimated them. Italian football was arrogant – not Inter, but the country’s attitude,” he stated. “They didn’t know they’d be kicking off from touch, didn’t know Dembélé was in that form, didn’t know Doué has talent on Yamal’s level, or that Vitinha might be the best midfielder in the world right now. They didn’t know João Neves was Portuguese-trained or where Pacho comes from.”“Inter are a great team. Inzaghi is a top coach. There shouldn’t be five goals of difference.”

However, the former Brighton and Shakhtar boss pivoted to a broader defence of Ligue 1’s European stature, noting how France’s top teams have proven their worth this season on the continental stage. “PSG dominated Liverpool and many others. We [Marseille] finished second behind them. In Italy, they didn’t write a word – they snubbed our league, thinking it’s average. That’s not true.”GFFN | George Boxall