Roberto De Zerbi explained why Mason Greenwood was taken off at half-time during Marseille's collapse at Sporting. The French outfit's Champions League night in Lisbon ended in heartbreak as the hosts came from behind to seal a dramatic 2-1 win. The French side had led through Igor Paixao’s thunderbolt in the first half, but the game unravelled spectacularly after Emerson Palmieri was controversially sent off just before half-time.
Controversial red card sparks fury
Marseille appeared to have won a penalty after Emerson went down under a challenge inside the area, but after VAR intervened, the decision was dramatically overturned. To make matters worse, referee Rade Obrenovic deemed Emerson guilty of simulation and showed him a second yellow card, leaving De Zerbi’s side a man down. Playing with ten men for the entire second half, Marseille were left hanging on by their fingernails as wave after wave of green and white pressure eventually broke through. Geny Catamo levelled with a stunning low strike in the 69th minute after a lengthy VAR check, before Alisson Santos completed the comeback in the 86th minute with his curling effort taking a slight deflection before nestling into the top corner.
AdvertisementAFPDe Zerbi disgusted with the match official
De Zerbi’s fury was visible on the touchline. From there, Marseille were forced into damage control, retreating into a deep defensive block while Sporting grew stronger with every passing minute. The Italian coach later made no attempt to hide his disgust with the officiating. “I didn’t like the refereeing at all,” De Zerbi snapped in his post-match interview. "It wasn't made for this match, and with the red, the match changed. Those against Rennes or Lyon are a certain type of defeat. Today, it's something else. This one should give us even more pride and confidence in ourselves."
De Zerbi explains Greenwood substitution
Among the many talking points from the night was Greenwood’s surprise withdrawal at half-time. The English forward, who had looked lively early on, was replaced by defender Amir Murillo as Marseille shifted into a more defensive formation. Many questioned the decision, but De Zerbi explained his reasoning with clarity.
"It's because they sent off Emerson! We had to defend with five, and between Greenwood and Paixao, at that time, the one who had the characteristics to defend and attack was Paixao," he said. "Last year, Greenwood, against Lyon with 10, we put him as a centre forward and he had a lot of trouble. Even Vermeeren, who had played well, I replaced him (with O'Riley) to add a bit more weight."
Away from the chaos in Lisbon, Greenwood’s name continues to generate headlines in the transfer market. According to TBR Football, Barcelona are plotting an ambitious move that could see him reunited with Marcus Rashford in Catalunya. Rashford, currently enjoying a career revival on loan from Manchester United, has been thriving under Hansi Flick in La Liga. Barca are now reportedly keen to secure a deal for Greenwood as they plan a major attacking rebuild ahead of Robert Lewandowski’s expected departure next summer. Greenwood, 24, has been sensational since joining Marseille, lighting up Ligue 1 with a series of stunning performances. He finished the 2024-25 season with 29 goals in 46 games, sharing the Golden Boot with PSG superstar Ousmane Dembele, who later went on to win the Ballon d’Or. In his most recent outing, Greenwood scored four goals in a 6-2 demolition of Le Havre, a performance that reportedly drew the attention of Barcelona scouts.
However, De Zerbi wanted to see more from his striker and said: "It's true that Mason can do more, not just in terms of goals scored because in that area he doesn't need to do better. He's already a top player in front of goal, but he can become one of the best players in the world, because he has the ability. He can improve in helping the team when it needs it, when it's necessary. But I want to protect Mason from criticism, he's always scored a lot of goals and never missed a training session. But he still has room for improvement.”
GettyA chance for redemption against Lens
Marseille’s Champions League campaign may have taken a hit, but there’s no time to dwell. De Zerbi’s men return to Ligue 1 action on Saturday against Lens, where Greenwood is expected to start. The manager will hope his star forward channels the frustration from Lisbon into another commanding domestic performance.