Marseille boss Roberto De Zerbi has issued a second warning to Mason Greenwood in recent weeks, with the ex-Manchester United forward slammed for his fitness.
Mason Greenwood has been given a stern warning by Marseille boss Roberto De Zerbi over his physical fitness – despite the former Manchester United forward’s impressive debut season with the French giants.
Greenwood, who moved to Marseille for £27million last summer, has netted 15 league goals in the 2024/25 campaign, second only to Ousmane Dembele. His contributions have helped propel Marseille to second place in Ligue 1, albeit 19 points adrift of reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain.
However, Greenwood was limited to a 27-minute appearance off the bench in Sunday’s Le Classique at the Parc des Princes, marking his second consecutive game not starting. De Zerbi explained his decision to keep his top scorer on the sidelines recently, citing concerns about Greenwood’s fitness levels.
“Mason is a crucial player for us,” De Zerbi admitted after Sunday’s 3-1 defeat to PSG. “But if I’m not mistaken, at the start of the season Dembele wasn’t in the starting 11. We need Mason, but he has to be in good physical condition. That’s very important at this stage of the season.”
The former Brighton boss hasn’t shied away when discussing issues with his players, as he previously did about Greenwood earlier this season regarding an identical issue. Despite a solid start at Marseille with five goals in three games, Greenwood experienced a four-game slump without a goal contribution, reports the Manchester Evening News.
Addressing this, De Zerbi publicly stated: “Some of our key players are not in good shape, like Mason Greenwood.” The Italian’s slamming of his player worked a treat as the striker bounced back with a goal and an assist in their following 5-0 thrashing of Montpellier.
Marseille, sitting second, face a tight race for the top four in Ligue 1. Their recent dip in form – three defeats in their last four outings – poses a challenge as they prepare for stern tests against the likes of Monaco, Brest, and Lille, all of whom are vying for Champions League football next term. Only six points separate second place and seventh in the French top-flight.
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