Fuente : UEFA (English)
http://www.uefa.com/

UEFA Intertoto: Marseille form is far from ideal

/noticias.info/ Olympique de Marseille enter the second leg of their UEFA Intertoto Cup final against RC Deportivo La Coruña 2-0 down and in the midst of a dreadful domestic run.

Rennes defeat
Marseille led twice on Saturday at Stade Rennais FC - only to lose 3-2 to a team without a previous Ligue 1 point this season. The result leaves Marseille second from bottom with one draw from four games, equalling their worst ever top-flight starts of 1946/47 and 1968/69.

Defensive concerns
With eight league goals conceded, Marseille's defence is worrying coach Jean Fernandez. "Letting in two goals per game, it's hard to achieve our targets," he said. Fernandez's hopes of defensive consistency will also be hindered on Tuesday by injury to captain Frédéric Déhu and full-back Demetrius Ferreira's suspension.

Victory vital
"It's not OM's defence who are at fault but the whole team," said new midfield signing Sabri Lamouchi. For the 33-year-old former French international, "the problem is in our heads". "For this reason we have to win against Deportivo, even if we do not qualify," he said.

First-leg goals
Depor, like Marseille, are aiming for a UEFA Cup spot to make up for missing out on their usual UEFA Champions League berth. Despite the Spanish season starting only next week, Joaquín Caparrós's side have impressed in this tournament. Rubén Castro and Iván Carril struck in the first leg in Galicia on 9 August, although Depor could be missing players in the return.

Luque move
Forward Albert Luque, key to the semi-final success against Newcastle United FC, may well skip the game amid reports he is close to joining the English club. Captain Manuel Pablo García explained: "We don't know what is happening with Albert, but if he does leave then he will do so on good terms with everyone here."

Other absentees
Meanwhile, midfielder Sergio González serves a one-match ban; Uruguayan goalkeeper Gustavo Munúa, who has a problem with his passport, makes way for Dani Mallo; and striker Víctor Sánchez is rested after spraining a knee ligament.

'Fired up'
However, Manuel Pablo declared: "We are fired up for this tie - losing now would be a huge blow. After all the hard work we have put in over the last three months, the worst thing would be to let it slip from our grasp in the last game.

UEFA Cup goal
"We want to qualify for the UEFA Cup but whatever happens on Tuesday night, being in the tournament has served to get us in good shape for the start of the league." notas_de_prensa_archivo