In a dramatic French Super Cup final that required a penalty shootout to decide the champion, Marseille manager Roberto De Zerbi was forced to explain a critical late substitution, revealing that match-winner Mason Greenwood was removed due to injury, not tactical choice.
The match, played in Kuwait on January 8, saw Paris Saint-Germain eventually triumph 4-1 on penalties after a dramatic 2-2 draw in normal time. European champions PSG took an early lead through Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembélé.
Marseille staged a fierce comeback, first equalizing in the 76th minute when Greenwood calmly converted a penalty he had earned after being fouled by goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier. The momentum seemed to have swung decisively in Marseille’s favor when PSG defender Willian Pacho scored a heartbreaking own goal just three minutes from time.
With the trophy seemingly in their grasp, Marseille fans were left confused when Greenwood, the player who had leveled the score, was substituted in the second minute of stoppage time. The decision took on a cruel significance moments later when PSG’s Gonçalo Ramos snatched a 95th-minute equalizer to force penalties, a shootout which PSG comfortably won 4-1 after Chevalier saved two Marseille attempts.
Speaking after the match, De Zerbi clarified that the substitution was purely due to Greenwood’s physical condition. “Greenwood had cramps, I had to take him off, otherwise he would have stayed on,” the Italian manager stated, adding, “I don’t like to force players”.
The painful defeat, which denied Marseille their first trophy since 2012, visibly affected De Zerbi. “It’s hard to accept, we played a very good match,” he said. “What saddens me is that we wanted to make OM history and win a trophy, but we didn’t manage it.”
In a poignant postscript, he revealed the depth of his disappointment: “The first thing I said to my team was that I’ve never cried after a defeat. Today, I cried when I got back to the locker room”.
This incident is a notable chapter in Greenwood’s complex tenure at Marseille. Since his high-profile transfer from Manchester United, the 24-year-old forward has been a key performer, scoring 15 goals so far this season. However, his relationship with the demanding De Zerbi has seen public strains.
Earlier this season, the manager substituted Greenwood at halftime of a league match against PSG, criticizing his lack of courage, and has also occasionally rested him, citing fatigue.
Despite these moments, De Zerbi has also offered public support for Greenwood as a person, acknowledging the “very heavy price” he has paid following the serious legal controversies in England that preceded his move to France.