Revealed: The 'real reasons' why Mason Greenwood has been axed by Marseille

Roberto De Zerbi has seemingly revealed why he decided to start his two top goal scorers on the bench in Marseille’s 1-0 defeat by Lens. 

Marseille’s already unlikely title bid is now almost certainly over, with De Zerbi’s side conceding a 94th-minute winner at home to fall 16 points behind Ligue 1 leaders PSG with 11 to play. 

Worse still, Luis Enrique’s side are next up for Marseille, meaning they could end the week as many as 19 points behind their rivals. 

The disparity between the two sides perhaps belies a positive season for Marseille, though, who have been Ligue 1’s second-top scorers. 

Much of that has been down to the work of leading forwards Luis Henrique and Mason Greenwood, though the latter was subject of comments from De Zerbi concerning his work-rate prior to the game. 

However both were left on the bench against Will Still’s Lens, and De Zerbi offered a few insights into his reasoning, suggesting his stats alone will not necessarily make him a certain starter. 

Lens ran out 1-0 winners after a 94th-minute strike despite Marseille’s dominance in the game

Greenwood has been Marseille’s top goal scorer across all competitions with 16 this season

‘No one can have more respect for him (Greenwood) than I do,’ said De Zerbi.

‘But that doesn’t change anything: I expect more from him. He has to do more, because what he is currently showing is not enough.

‘If he wants to achieve his ambition of becoming a champion, he has to be more consistent, sacrifice more and be more determined.

‘Otherwise, we as a team always fall back into the same pattern: a very good match, then a defeat at Auxerre, then a victory against Nantes… It’s too irregular, it’s like waves. And that’s something I don’t like.’

In the case of Henrique, who has nine goals and six assists this term, De Zerbi suggested that the forward is short of full fitness, perhaps as a result of a grueling campaign. 

But in the case of 16-goal forward Greenwood reports are suggesting that De Zerbi and the management at Marseille are growing tired of a perceived ‘nonchalance’, ‘attitude’ and ‘lack of effort’, according to RMC Sport. 

The report claims that there is considered to be a ‘huge gap between his potential and his contribution’ to the team, considering Marseille’s general trend of dominating games. 

For example, against Lens the hosts managed 76 per cent ball possession and had six shots on target, but were unable to make the breakthrough, with Greenwood brought on at half time.  

Former Man United forward Greenwood joined Marseille after a loan spell with Getafe last term

RMC further contends that the decision to bench Greenwood could be an attempt to ‘prick his pride’ and provoke an up-turn in efforts on the pitch, with the results of said move set to be intently monitored. 

After emerging as one of Man United’s brightest young talents, he left the club officially last summer after he was arrested in January 2022 before being charged with attempted rape, assault and controlling and coercive behaviour.

Charges against Greenwood were dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service following the ‘withdrawal of key witnesses and new material coming to light’. 

Greenwood reignited his career on loan at Spanish outfit Getafe last season, where he bagged 10 goals and six assists.

He has since formally applied to switch his international allegiance from England, for whom he made one outing, to Steve McClaren’s Jamaica.