Mansion Sports – Marseille have officially announced the appointment of Habib Beye as their new head coach to replace Roberto De Zerbi.

Beye returns to Olympique de Marseille after previously spending two years at the club during his playing career.

He has signed a contract valid until the summer of 2027 and has been entrusted with the responsibility of rescuing Marseille’s season, which has been experiencing a significant decline in performance.

De Zerbi Leaves Marseille After Embarrassing Result

De Zerbi decided to part ways with Marseille by mutual agreement last week following a heavy 5-0 defeat to arch-rivals Paris Saint-Germain in Le Classique.

The club subsequently appointed Beye on an eighteen-month contract. The former Senegal star had previously been available on the coaching market after being dismissed by fellow Ligue 1 club Rennes just days before De Zerbi officially left his position.

Beye Introduced as Marseille’s New Head Coach

In its official statement, the club declared: “Olympique de Marseille is proud to announce the appointment of Habib Beye as head coach of the professional team.

Habib Beye has followed a unique career path in French football, first as a resilient and respected player, then as an ambitious and thoughtful coach.

Habib Beye quickly embraced a coaching career. He possessed a strong desire to return to the pitch and naturally found his role on the touchline. In 2021, he took charge of Red Star FC.

In a demanding competition, he instilled a clear identity: discipline, intensity, and ambition.

His leadership style is based on high standards and player accountability, aligned with the character he demonstrated during his playing days.

A national champion in 2004, he guided Red Star to promotion to Ligue 2 before leaving the club to join Stade Rennais.

Tuesday, 18 February 2018 marked Habib Beye’s return to Olympique de Marseille. From the pitch of the Orange Velodrome to the touchline at the stadium on Boulevard Michelet, he appears to have come full circle in his career journey.

However, the greatest challenge likely still awaits him, guided by the same principles as during his playing career: leadership, hard work, and passion.”

Marseille’s Situation Remains Turbulent After De Zerbi’s Departure

In the first match following De Zerbi’s departure, Marseille hosted Strasbourg at the Stade Velodrome.

An ultras group vacated one section of the stands before kick-off as a protest against the club’s management, while reports indicated that several supporters even attempted to enter the presidential box.

Marseille, led by interim coach Jacques Abardonado, initially took the lead through an early goal by Mason Greenwood, before Amine Gouiri doubled the advantage shortly after the interval.

However, Sebastian Nanasi reduced the deficit for the visitors, and Joaquin Panichelli converted a penalty in the 97th minute to equalize and deny the hosts victory.

On Sunday, Mehdi Benatia resigned from his position as sporting director, but only days later he was reappointed with a contract running until the end of the season. Club president Pablo Longoria remains under considerable pressure from supporters following another season filled with uncertainty in the south of France.

The Next Steps for Marseille

With the support of forwards such as Mason Greenwood and Ethan Nwaneri, Beye will attempt to secure his first victory as Marseille head coach on Friday night when they travel to face Brest.