De Zerbi’s video lesson: setting a new benchmark for Greenwood
When Roberto De Zerbi walked into the training room last week, the atmosphere was tense. The Italian manager pulled up a series of clips on the big screen, not of his own side, but of Barcelona’s Brazilian winger Raphinha. The footage showed the 28‑year‑old sprinting down the flank, pressing defenders, and delivering pinpoint crosses in quick succession. De Zerbi then turned to his new English signing and said, "You have to do that every game, not just one in five." The message was clear: the club wants Mason Greenwood to adopt a level of intensity that never wavers, match after match.
Greenwood, who arrived at Olympique de Marseille after a turbulent spell in England, has already demonstrated flashes of brilliance—dribbling past opponents, finding the net, and creating space for teammates. Yet the Marseille hierarchy believes his ceiling is higher. By using Raphinha as a template, De Zerbi is not only highlighting the Brazilian’s physical output but also his mental discipline. In the manager’s eyes, consistency is the currency that determines whether a player can influence a title race.
Why Raphinha? The statistics behind the example
Raphinha’s numbers this season speak volumes. In La Liga, he has registered 7 goals and 12 assists, while covering an average of 11.4 kilometers per game—a testament to his work rate. In the Champions League, his pressing numbers rank among the top five wingers, with an average of 3.2 successful pressures per 90 minutes. Beyond the raw data, his off‑the‑ball movement creates overloads on the flank, allowing Barcelona to dominate possession and transition quickly.
De Zerbi broke down these figures for Greenwood, pointing out that the Brazilian’s impact is not limited to highlight reels. He consistently ranks in the top quartile for successful dribbles, key passes, and defensive actions among attackers in Europe. The Marseille boss believes that if Greenwood can mirror even a fraction of that output, the club’s title aspirations will be much more realistic.
Marseille currently sit within striking distance of Paris Saint‑Germain, but injuries have thinned the squad. De Zerbi’s demand for relentless consistency stems from the reality that a single player’s sustained performance can offset gaps elsewhere. Greenwood’s potential to become a regular match‑winner is the missing piece, according to the manager.
To translate the video lessons into practice, De Zerbi has set a three‑point plan for the English forward:
- Physical conditioning: increase weekly mileage and incorporate high‑intensity interval training to boost stamina.
- Tactical drills that emphasize repeated sprints down the left wing, mirroring Raphinha’s patterns.
- Video review sessions after each match, comparing Greenwood’s effort metrics with the benchmark footage.
These steps are already being rolled out in training, with Greenwood reportedly embracing the challenge. The player’s own statements echo De Zerbi’s expectations: "I want to be the kind of player who gives everything every 90 minutes, not just when the spotlight is on me."
As the Ligue 1 season approaches its climax, the spotlight will inevitably turn to how quickly Greenwood can internalise the lessons. If he manages to sustain a high‑energy output akin to Raphinha, Marseille could very well close the gap on PSG and rewrite the narrative of French football this year. The coming weeks will reveal whether De Zerbi’s bold motivational tactic will pay off on the pitch.
