Marseille will be chasing its first trophy in 17 years when it
faces Bordeaux in the League Cup final on Saturday.
The last time Marseille landed some silverware was when it
won the Champions League in 1993. Since then, pressure has built on
the club to end the drought.
"We don't mention those 17 years without a title to the
players," Marseille sporting director Jose Anigo told the club's
Web site. "They know the history of the club. It's no use reminding
them."
Marseille has had its chances in recent years but it lost
French Cup finals in 2006 and 2007 and then finished second behind
Bordeaux in the league last season.
"We wanted to win so much in our last two French Cup finals
that it polluted our minds," Anigo said. "A final is all about
winning. Losing a final is strange: you get the feeling that you
have worked for months for nothing."
Marseille has won the league eight times and lifted the
French Cup on 10 occasions but it has never won the League Cup.
Bordeaux is the favorite on paper. It won the League Cup in
2002, 2007 and 2009 and it is currently top of the league table,
three points clear of fourth-place Marseille.
"We have more experience to handle this kind of match,"
Bordeaux captain Alou Diarra told the club's Web site. "It will be
an advantage for us."
The two sides have drawn both of the games against each other
in the league this season - 0-0 at Marseille and 1-1 at Bordeaux.
"It will be a hard-fought match between two highly motivated
teams," Diarra said. "Marseille has been chasing a trophy for
several years and we are the title-holders. We want to retain that
great trophy."
The teams' coaches know each other very well: Laurent Blanc
(Bordeaux) and Didier Deschamps (Marseille) played together in the
France side that won the 1998 World Cup and the 2000 European
Championship.
Blanc guided Bordeaux to the league title last season while
Deschamps replaced Eric Gerets at Marseille last summer.
Marseille will rely on Senegal forward Mamadou Niang, who is
the top scorer in the league with 15 goals, Brazilian striker
Brandao and Argentina midfielder Lucho Gonzalez to crack the
Bordeaux defense.
Bordeaux has gained a strong reputation for its efficiency at
set-pieces. Brazilian midfielder Geraldo Wendel and France
playmaker Yoann Gourcuff are outstanding free-kick takers, while
players such as Alou Diarra, Michael Ciani and Morocco striker
Marouane Chamakh are all good in the air.
Bordeaux is without defender Marc Planus (knee) and Marseille
is missing midfielder Benoit Cheyrou (calf).
