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Bordeaux´s Fernando wary of French ´Real Madrid´

The 2009-2010 French season gets underway this weekend with champions Bordeaux out to avoid any unseemly slip-up against newly promoted Lens.

Bordeaux ended Lyon’s title monopoly on the final day of last season, and the team that pushed them closest, Marseille, are regarded in many quarters as favourites to take the honours this time around.

It’s been a turbulent summer down on the south coast, with Didier Deschamps replacing Eric Gerets as manager and Marseille’s owner, Robert Louis-Dreyfus, losing his battle with leukemia and chairman Pape Diouf leaving.

But bolstered by new chief executive Jean-Claude Dassier’s hefty war chest Deschamps has wasted no time in strengthening his squad to mount a viable challenge on a title Marseille haven’t won since 1992.

Top of the 1998 French World Cup winning captain’s new recruits was the record 18 million-euro paid out for Argentine mdifelder Lucho Gonzalez from Porto.

Gonzalez’s fellow countryman, Real Madrid defender Gabriel Heinze, followed with other signings including Senegalese international Souleymane Diawara from Bordeaux, Cameroon midfielder Stephane Mbia from Rennes and Cyril Rool from Nice.

Deschamps also brought in midfielder Edouard Cisse from Turkish champions Besiktas, a player familiar from the coach’s time at Monaco, the highlight of which was the 2004 Champions League final (won by Porto).

Another former acquaintance to turn up at the Velodrome is Valencia’s veteran Spanish striker Fernando Morientes, who also worked with Deschamps at Monaco.

Given this array of fresh talent Bordeaux’s Brazilian midfielder Fernando had little hesitation in identifying Deschamps’ newlook Marseille as the main contenders for the 2009-2010 crown.

“Last season we knew there was one team – Lyon – to beat. We succeeded. This season it’s got to be Marseille, the French ‘Real Madrid’,” said Fernando.

He added: “They’ve got enough money to buy anyone, they’ve put together a superb team, they’re the ones to beat.”

Marseille get their title bid up and running against Grenoble.

Lyon, third last term, set out for life without Juninho and star striker Karim Benzema, a 35-million-euro sale to Real Madrid.

That cash enabled second-season manager Claude Puel to splash out over 70 million euros for prolific Lille playmaker Michel Bastos, Argentine striker Lopez Lisandro, defender Aly Cissokho and Saint Etienne’s France international forward Bafetimbi Gomis.

Puel though has a defensive crisis for the curtain-raiser against Le Mans, with three regulars unavailable due to injury or suspension – Jean-Alain Boumsong, John Mensah, Cleber Anderson. He is also without midfielders Kim Kallstrom and Cesar Delgado.

Aside from Bordeaux’s Sunday rivals Lens the other first division newcomers are Montpellier, who are set for a baptism of fire hosting a Paris Saint Germain under fresh management following the departure of Paul Le Guen, and Normandy side Boulogne, on the road at Rennes.

Saturday

Auxerre v Sochaux, Grenoble v Marseille, Le Mans v Lyon, Monaco v Toulouse, Montpellier v Paris Saint Germain, Rennes v Boulogne, Saint Etienne v Nice, Valenciennes v Nancy

Sunday

Lille v Lorient, Bordeaux v Lens

PARIS (AFP)

Tags: Anderson, Argentine, Bordeaux, Boulogne, cameroon, Cesar Delgado, champions league final, claude puel, contenders, Cyril Rool, didier deschamps, edouard cisse, eric gerets, fellow countryman, Fernando, fernando morientes, France, gabriel heinze, Germain, Gonzalez, Grenoble, jean alain boumsong, Jean-Claude, john mensah, Karim Benzema, kim kallstrom, Lille, Lorient, Lyon, MADRID, Mans, Marseille, mbia, Michel Bastos, midfielder, Monaco, Montpellier, Nancy, new recruits, pape diouf, PARIS, Paul Le, PORTO, real madrid, robert louis dreyfus, Saint Germain, souleymane diawara, stephane mbia, Toulouse, Valencia, velodrome, war chest

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Cameroon’s Mbia joins Marseille

Olympique Marseille and Rennes have come to an agreement over the transfer of Cameroon midfielder Stephane Mbia.

Reportedly, Marseille are set to pay 12 million Euros for the player, who is to sign a four-year contract at the Mediterranean side. His medical was completed early on Monday.

The 23-year-old from Yaounde, Cameroon, played for Rennes since 2004. In 124 appearances, the player scored seven goals.

At the international level, Mbia made his debut for Cameroon in 2005. Three years later, the player scored twice in the African Cup of Nations quarter final against Tunisia with a winning goal in the 93rd minute.

Mbia is Marseille’s fifth new signing this summer, following Lucho Gonzalez, Edouard Cisse, Souleymane Diawara and Charley Fomen.

By: Jonathan Roorda

Tags: african cup of nations, cameroon, Charley Fomen, cisse, debut, edouard cisse, Gonzalez, jonathan, Ligue 1, Lucho, lucho gonzalez, Marseille, mbia, Mediterranean, midfielder, olympique marseille, Rennes, souleymane diawara, stephane, Tunisia, YAOUNDE

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Marseille set to break record for Porto captain

MARSEILLE, France (AFP) – French giants Marseille are set to break their transfer record with a 17.5million euros fee for Porto’s Argentinan captain Lucho Gonzalez, the buying club announced on Tuesday.

The 28-year-old will sign a four year contract with the French club subject to a medical.

Gonzalez, who joined Porto from River Plate during the 2005/06 season, was Marseille coach Didier Deschamps main target.

Gonzalez is the second new recruit since Deschamps replaced Eric Gerets as coach – having signed 20-year-old Cameroon left back Charley Fomen.

The former France World Cup and Euro winning captain – who won the 1993 European Cup with Marseille – also wants to buy a central defender with Bordeaux’ Souleymane Diawara or Galatasaray’s Turkish international Servet Cetin top of his list.

Tags: argentinan, Bordeaux, cameroon, captain Lucho, central defender, Charley, coach, didier deschamps, eric gerets, France, france world cup, french club, galatasaray, giants, Gonzalez, Ligue 1, lucho gonzalez, Marseille, marseille france, new recruit, PORTO, river plate, souleymane diawara, target

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Marseille return to top after 10-year wait

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

Tags: Ajax, Bordeaux, boudewijn zenden, brandao, dutchman, eric gerets, France, freekick, french championship, french table, home match, Korean Park, laurent blanc, Le Havre, Ligue 1, Lille, Lyon, Marseille, Monaco, Nancy, Nantes, parc des princes, PARIS, paris saint germain, quarter finals, renato civelli, Rolland Courbis, sochaux, souleymane diawara, star player, Toulouse, UEFA Cup, winning the title, yoann gourcuff

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