Buoyant Bordeaux aiming to upset Bayern

November 3, 2009

Bordeaux travel to Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena on Tuesday aiming to stun the home side and take a step towards a place in the Champions League’s knock-out phase.

The Group A leaders went top of the French league on Saturday with a 1-0 win over Monaco and while Germany’s biggest team were held to a 0-0 draw by struggling Stuttgart, Laurent Blanc’s side are brimming with confidence.

“That was a good game, good preparation for the trip to Munich,” said Bordeaux captain Alou Diarra who said Bayern are favourites although his side top the French table and are unbeaten after 39 home league games.

“Just as we were patient against Monaco, so we must do the same against Bayern. We must defend well.

“We go to Munich with the firm intention of getting a result.

“A team like Bayern knows how to deal with a game like this, but we want to create a surprise.”

Defender Marc Planus – who scored the winner in Bordeaux’s 2-1 win over Munich on October 21 – scored the only goal against Monaco, but Blanc says he expects a bigger challenge in Bavaria.

“As preparation for a Champions League game goes, that was good but Tuesday is another competition altogether,” said Blanc, a World Cup winner with France in 1998.

Bayern have been erratic this season and coach Louis van Gaal has struggled to find his strongest combination.

Having hammered Eintracht Frankfurt 4-0 in the German Cup last week, Bayern laboured to a goalless draw at struggling Stuttgart who managed to break a five-game losing streak.

Adding to Bayern’s woes is the fact they could be without both their chief playmakers Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben against Bordeaux.

Their absence prompted team manager Uli Hoeness to lament: “I am not normally someone who is concerned about injuries. But Bayern without Franck Ribery or Arjen Robben is not the same team.”

Bayern are third in the group and need to take points off the French side on Tuesday to keep their dreams of reaching the knock-out stages alive after the defeat in France on October 21.

Robben and Ribery – who the German media have labelled ‘Robbery’ due to their ability to unlock defences – are both struggling with knee injuries, but Dutch star Robben may be fit to face Bordeaux, said coach Louis van Gaal.

Bayern are fifth in the German league with Ribery out for at least another month with a persistent patella strain.

Robben has recovered remarkably quickly from his knee operation at the start of last month and van Gaal said he is likely to play him on Tuesday.

“I preferred to rest him against Stuttgart and save him for the match against Bordeaux,” said van Gaal.

BERLIN (AFP)

Tags: allianz arena, alou diarra, arjen robben, Bayern, bayern munich, berlin, Bordeaux, defe, France, franck ribery, FRANKFURT, french league, french side, french table, game losing streak, german cup, Germany, good game, knock out, laurent blanc, league game, league games, louis van gaal, marc planus, Monaco, Munich, playmakers, stuttgart, world cup winner

Marseille return to top after 10-year wait

March 22, 2009

PARIS (AFP) – Renato Civelli and Brandao fired Marseille to a 2-0 victory over Nantes on Saturday to shoot Eric Gerets’ men to the top of the French championship for the first time in 10 years.

Argentinian defender Civelli netted 10 minutes after the break, and Brazilian Brandao four minutes later, knocking seven-times reigning champions Lyon off their perch.

The 3-0 victory of Laurent Blanc’s Bordeaux at Le Havre, which had put them top earlier on Saturday, meant Lyon were relegated further down to third spot.

Marseille, who beat Paris Saint Germain 3-1 at the Parc des Princes last weekend and who moved into the UEFA Cup quarter-finals in midweek at the expense of Ajax, now sit proudly at the top of the French table for the first time since the 1989/99 season.

Blanc, who had been in France’s World Cup-winning squad earlier that season, was an integral part of the Marseille side which reached the UEFA Cup final and lost by a point to Bordeaux in the French championship under coach Rolland Courbis.

Back to the present, it was Dutchman Boudewijn Zenden who created both goals for Marseille against Nantes.

His freekick found the head of Civelli for the first goal and then another cross shortly afterwards meant Brandao converted another header for the second.

Marseille have 55 points, two more than both Bordeaux and Lyon, and three more than Lille and Paris Saint Germain, who visit Toulouse on Sunday. Also on Sunday, Lyon have the chance to regain top spot in their home match against Sochaux.

This form gives Gerets’ men hope of a successful season run-in though they will surely hope to improve their home record of just seven league wins out of 14 at the Velodrome stadium this season.

Goals from star player Yoann Gourcuff, Souleymane Diawara and Brazilian Wendel earned Bordeaux’s win over Le Havre.

Blanc had said before the Marseille result was known: "Our sitting on top of the league is no fluke. The notion of winning the title is not taboo to me.

"On the other hand, I would say that perhaps realistically we do not have the capability of winning it but perhaps I will have a different opinion with four or five matches to go to the end of the championship."

Meanwhile, mid-table Monaco had a useful away win, with South Korean Park Chu-young on target in a 1-0 victory at Nancy.

Written by: AFP