Win or bust for Eindhoven rivals

With no points from their two games in Group D, PSV Eindhoven and Olympique de Marseille are desperate for a win to kick-start their respective UEFA Champions League campaigns. So it was no surprise that both coaches predicted an open, attacking encounter when they meet at the PSV Stadion on Wednesday.

Optimism
With Club Atlético de Madrid and Liverpool FC already six points ahead of both sides, there is a suggestion that PSV's two matches against Marseille over the next fortnight will determine only who will participate in the UEFA Cup next spring. PSV coach Huub Stevens categorically rejects the notion, though. "If you want to reach the next round of the Champions League, which we definitely do, then we have to win," he said. "As long as the possibility still exists to progress, then we will do everything we can to make it happen."

New approach
Stevens, who describes Wednesday's opponents as "typically French, very compact, with plenty of technique, speed and power", admits his team will have to be much more offensive than when losing 3-1 at Anfield on Matchday 2. "You could say we played with eleven defenders against Liverpool in the last game," he said. "This time we're going to play with eleven attackers." The Dutch champions have no major selection problems. Only one member of the regular lineup is missing in right-back Jan Kromkamp – suffering from a groin injury – but there is a ready-made replacement in Francisco Rodríguez.

Learning from mistakes
However, it is his side's form that must be causing Stevens most concern. Saturday's 2-1 loss at leaders NAC Breda, PSV's second in six league games, left them fourth in the Eredivisie. "Particularly in the first half on Saturday we weren't sharp enough, and we lacked concentration," said the former Dutch international, who publicly questioned his players' fighting spirit after the match. "But on Monday I talked about it with the squad, we analysed what went wrong, then we started preparing for Marseille. I want us to show that we have learned from our mistakes."

Weekend win
In contrast to PSV, Marseille are turning on the style in France. The only undefeated team in Ligue 1, their 3-1 victory at Valenciennes FC on Sunday took OM up to second place, one point behind titleholders Olympique Lyonnais. "We created a lot of chances during the game, and both [Hatem] Ben Arfa and [Bakari] Koné are finding their form," said Marseille coach Erik Gerets. The visitors have a full squad to choose from, including two players, captain Lorik Cana and Algerian international Karim Ziani, who were suspended at the weekend.

Draw insufficient
Gerets, whose past as both a player and a coach of PSV is still commemorated by photos on the walls inside the stadium, thinks the fans could be in for a treat on Wednesday. "Normally in an away match we would be happy with one point, but not this time," he stressed. "We will definitely be looking for all three. I don't expect a physical battle, just two teams going all out for victory, so it should be a really entertaining encounter."