Deschamps: Win or bust for Marseille

Published Apr. 2, 2011 12:59 p.m. ET

foxsports

Marseille boss Didier Deschamps has told his side they may have to win all their remaining games to defend their Ligue 1 title.

They could have slipped to fourth in the table by the time they take on struggling Lens on Sunday, though, with Rennes, a point behind them, and Lyon, two points back, both in action earlier on.

But Deschamps knows it is Lille who are his side's biggest threat with 10 games of the season to go.

"We're right there, we're back in the hunt and the final sprint finish starts now," Deschamps told the Ligue 1 website.

"There are 10 games to go, 30 points. We have to try and win all of our points and if Lille win all of theirs, then at least we will have done our best. But let's just concentrate on winning our 30 first."

OM have beaten Rennes and fifth-placed Paris St Germain in their last two games and midfielder Mathieu Valbuena wants the side to continue that impressive form.

"This is where we won the title last season so we have to hope everyone stays fit," he said.

"Consistency is the key now. This weekend we travel to Lens, which hasn't been a happy hunting ground for us in recent times, but we're within striking distance now."

OM will be without suspended defender Souleymane Diawara as well as long-term injury absentees Cesar Azpilicueta (knee) and Julien Rodriguez (ankle).

Second-bottom Lens need the points just as badly as Marseille, as they look to close the four-point gap to safety.

They go into the game on the back of a thumping 4-1 win at Montpellier, but are without a home win since January.

President Gervais Martel, though, believes the performance against Montpellier offers the club plenty of reasons for optimism.

"If we can reproduce that type of attitude, maintain that team spirit, then we have the potential to pick up a fair few points between now and the end of the season," he said.

"Thirty points is a lot. Nobody in the bottom half of the table is safe and I hope our poor form is behind us and we survive."