Mason Greenwood is facing a second warning over his fitness by Roberto De Zerbi (Image: Getty)
Marseille manager has issued yet another wake-up call to regarding his fitness levels, despite the player’s significant contribution to the squad since his arrival. The 23-year-old star, who joined from for an impressive fee last summer, has caught the eye in France with a tally of 15 league goals in the 2024/25 season, coming second only to Ousmane Dembele’s scoring record.
Although playing a pivotal role in lifting Marseille to second place in Ligue 1, a massive 19 points adrift from leaders Paris Saint-Germain, Greenwood found himself on the bench again, coming on for just 27 minutes against PSG which ended in a 3-1 loss for his team.
Speaking post-match, De Zerbi acknowledged Greenwood’s key presence in the line-up but emphasised the necessity for peak fitness. “Mason is a crucial player for us,” De Zerbi conceded before adding: “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’ public concerns over Greenwood’s performance mark the second time he’s come out in public with comments of that nature which echoes his previous remarks from earlier in the season. Despite a strong start at Marseille with five goals in his first three league matches, Greenwood hit a dry spell in October, failing to score or assist in four consecutive games.
When quizzed about the Englishman’s lack of goals, De Zerbi didn’t hold back, saying: “Some of our key players are not in good shape, like Mason Greenwood,” reports . This candid critique appeared to have the desired effect, as Greenwood bounced back with a goal and an assist in their next match, a 5-0 thrashing away to Montpellier.
Mason Greenwood could only manage a 27-minute cameo in Marseille’s 3-1 loss to PSG (Image: Getty)
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Marseille, who currently sit second in Ligue 1, face a tough battle to maintain their Champions League qualifying spot as the season draws to a close. With three defeats in their last four outings, they face challenging encounters against Monaco, Brest, and Lille in the coming weeks, which will be crucial for their ambitions to play in Europe’s elite club competition next term. Just six points separate Marseille and seventh-placed Strasbourg, who are managed by ex-Hull City boss Liam Rosenior.