Chivu blames De Zerbi for Pavard's downfall at Marseille

Benjamin Pavard is moving forward at Inter Milan after a catastrophic 2025-2026 season on loan at Olympique de Marseille. Started in right centre-back in a three-man defence system in the second Serie A matchday against Cagliari, the French international with 55 caps showed a very different face from the one seen in Marseille colours.

His return to Inter was far from certain. With a net salary of five million euros per year, the 30-year-old was considered unwanted by the Nerazzurri management. It was new manager Cristian Chivu who chose to give him another chance, integrating him into summer friendlies before granting him playing time in the league.

The Romanian coach does not mince words in explaining Pavard’s ordeal. “What he suffered elsewhere… There was De Zerbi, you have to ask him what happened! What interests me is what’s happening now. We found a player who put himself at the service of the group,” he said in comments reported by L’Équipe.

These words echo a tense episode from the Marseille season. After Marseille’s heavy defeat to Liverpool in the Champions League league phase, Roberto De Zerbi apparently took direct aim at Pavard, before attempting to defuse the situation. The relationship between the two men never seemed to fully recover, weighing down the defender’s season.

Chivu, for his part, chose to turn the page and judge Pavard on what he produces in training and on the pitch. The message appears to have been received loud and clear by the player, who seems determined to regain the level that made him an undisputed starter under Simone Inzaghi.