SASSUOLO, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 28: Ismael Kone of Sassuolo celebrates scoring his team’s second goal during the Serie A match between US Sassuolo Calcio and Udinese Calcio at Mapei Stadium Citta del Tricolore on September 28, 2025 in Sassuolo, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)
Canada coach Jesse Marsch has slammed Italian tactician Roberto De Zerbi for being ‘a real a**hole’ with Sassuolo and CANMNT midfielder Ismael Kone. ‘Now look at him flourishing.’
The shocking outburst happened when Marsch was speaking to the Call It What You Want podcast on CBS Sports Golazo America.
He was asked which player had improved the most for Canada and named Sassuolo midfielder Kone, who has flourished this season in Serie A.
However, he also used it as an opportunity to blame one of Kone’s former coaches, as De Zerbi famously humiliated the young player in training at Olympique Marseille.
Marsch praise for Kone is criticism for De Zerbi
“You know, when I took over the team, I think Ismael was a raw, talented person,” Marsch said on the podcast.
“And since then, I’ve talked to him a lot about discipline and concentration and everything from what that means in his daily life, in his nutrition, in his sleep habits, in the way he trains and the way he shows up every day, in the way he plays, in his overall intelligence.
“Going to Italy and playing for a team that was newly promoted, and having to fight through a situation like that in a very organised league, he’s played an incredibly important role in that team and had a great year.
“So I mean, it would probably be easy to say that Ismael is the one. Not just from what I’ve done with him and what the national team has done with him but also what he’s been able to achieve in his career, and the steps he’s been able to make through difficulty I might add.
“Because it wasn’t easy with De Zerbi and Marseille. De Zerbi was a real, real a**hole with him and he stayed strong. He never doubted himself. He found a new situation, and now look at him flourishing.
“Let me reiterate. De Zerbi was a real a**hole with him.”
The incident in training was when Kone failed to follow some instructions, so De Zerbi declared loudly that he should get off the field and “call your agent” to find another club, because he would not be getting another opportunity with Marseille.
De Zerbi has since left Olympique Marseille too and is now the coach of Tottenham Hotspur, trying to drag them out of the Premier League relegation zone.
As for Kone, the 23-year-old made the move to Sassuolo in July 2025 on loan for €2.5m, making it permanent for a further €10m over the summer.
The Canada international scored six goals in 32 Serie A appearances this season.
