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De Zerbi said Ligue 1 was a stronger league than people outside of France may think and suggested that the league officials may be responsible for the way the competition is adjudged by those who have not been involved with it.
Roberto De Zerbi. (X)
Marseille coach Roberto De Zerbi has reacted to Cristiano Ronaldo’s claim that the Saudi Pro League was better than Ligue 1. After completing his second stint at Manchester United, Ronaldo joined Saudi side Al-Nassr. Meanwhile, De Zerbi took charge of Marseille having left Brighton at the end of last season.
Marseille currently occupy the second spot in the Ligue 1 standings. De Zerbi said Ligue 1 was a “stronger league than people outside of France may think”. When asked about the Portuguese legend’s comments, De Zerbi suggested that the league officials may be responsible for the way the competition is adjudged by those who have not been involved with it.
“The players and coaches are very strong, the stadiums are full and the atmospheres are great. Maybe this league is badly promoted or not as well as Premier League, Serie A, La Liga or Bundesliga. I don’t know if this is a communication or a management issue. France is a football-loving country so it’s a shame that it’s not properly appreciated,” De Zerbi said, as per Mirror.
De Zerbi is not the only one who responded to Ronaldo’s latest claim. Former French defender Adil Rami suggested that Ronaldo would be “eaten” if he played in the Ligue 1.
“He talks s***. You want me to show you images of the defenders in Saudi Arabia. It’s not because he’s had a crazy career that as soon as he says something it’s the truth. I think it’s a PR stunt. We have defenders, they are machines,” he said on his Twitch account, as per Mirror.
“You put him in Ligue 1 and he gets eaten. Cristiano Ronaldo, you know, I’m a fan. I’m Team Cristiano Ronaldo but he made a mistake. When he says that the Saudi championship is better than the one in France, he brings a lot of people with him,” he added.
Ronaldo was recently named the Best Middle East Player of 2024 at the Globe Soccer Awards. Ronaldo joined Al-Nassr on a free transfer in January 2023 after leaving Manchester United. Ronaldo has won one trophy, the Arab Club Champions Cup in 2023, after his move to Al-Nassr. The Portuguese legend scored a record 35 goals in the 2023-24 season of Saudi Pro League. Al-Nassr currently stand fourth in the Saudi Pro League standings. They are 11 points behind table-toppers Al-Ittihad.