‘He stood up to power’ – Roberto De Zerbi on his admiration for Pope Francis | OneFootball

It’s been quite the week for Olympique de Marseille, who found themselves at a training camp in Rome only several days after the death of Pope Francis. During the week, a small contingent from OM made a trip to the vatican to pay their respects, including coach Roberto De Zerbi, president Pablo Longoria, and Director of Football Medhi Benatia. At a press conference attended by Get French Football News, De Zerbi spoke of his admiration for the man that was Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the late Pontiff. “I’m not really religious, I believe more in people than in the Church. So I went to see the man. People will remember him.”“He was always sensitive to the poor and marginalised. He stood up to power without trying to find loopholes. It’s hard to find people like him. Many people spout clichés; everyone wants to be part of the establishment. It was very emotional, even though I’m not religious. I told the players about what he did in his life. We took a wreath of flowers with some of the players.”Marseille face Stade Brestois at the Stade Vélodrome tomorrow after a week of seeking solace in the Roman capital. De Zerbi and his men will be hoping to get another three points under their belt as the race for the UEFA Champions League tightens further in the final run-in of the season. GFFN | George Boxall – reporting from La Commanderie, Marseille.