Zürich out to unsettle Marseille

FC Zürich may have gifted Olympique de Marseille their only points in UEFA Champions League Group C when they went down 1-0 on home soil two weeks ago, but they do not intend to suffer the same outcome at the Stade Vélodrome. The Swiss titleholders beat AC Milan on their last trip abroad and their coach Bernard Challandes has promised to "introduce a little madness and take risks because one chance can be enough". Both teams lie three points shy of leading duo Milan and Real Madrid CF, and both were held to frustrating draws on the domestic stage at the weekend. For Marseille coach Didier Deschamps that means an immediate response is required with the former French international aware that "Marseille's future in Europe" is on the line.

Didier Deschamps, Marseille coach
Zürich are a well-organised team with good athletes and motivated players. Their side is very compact and the proof of that is their win away against Milan. We will have to go for victory as we did two weeks ago. If we win, it would leave us at least looking good to finish third, before we visit Milan. We need to build on the victory last time out but we need to be wary because they have good forwards, such as the captain Alphonse and Vonlanthen. They didn't win in Milan by chance alone. Every point is important, starting with a win [on Tuesday] which will be decisive for Marseille's future in Europe. Having played them away and seen their win in Milan, I think Zürich were the best of the teams seeded fourth. I'm confident, though, even if Saturday's draw with Toulouse was negative. The players were all concerned by that result but they are top-level players and need to keep repeating exercises in training to obtain more consistency.

Bernard Challandes, Zürich coach
I've taken the positives out of our two most recent league games. We dominated, but I'm not pleased that we only took two points. I'm confident because of how those games went and how we played, we only need more accuracy. It's true we play better away from home, but it's not an advantage to play at Marseille's Stade Vélodrome. If we start well and the crowd start putting pressure on the Marseille players, it could get interesting. We're halfway through the group stage and have the chance to do well, thanks to our victory in Milan. We need three more points and then we'll ensure there's suspense right to the end. The match tomorrow will be hard. At home, two weeks ago, we didn't choose to play defensive football; Marseille were strong. As a little Swiss side, we don't want to be eaten out there. We should introduce a little madness and take risks because one chance can be enough.

Weekend results
31/10/09 Marseille 1-1 Toulouse FC
(Brandão 75; Sissoko 28)

• OM have not kept a clean sheet at the Stade Vélodrome since holding titleholders FC Girondins de Bordeaux to a goalless draw on 30 August.

• Marseille are yet to lose a game in which Brandão has scored, winning on all ten previous occasions that the Brazilian had found the net for the club prior to the draw with Toulouse.

31/10/09 Zürich 1-1 FC Sion
(Alphonse 67; Chihab 1)

• The Swiss titleholders have only kept three clean sheets in their last 14 games – against AC Milan and in Swiss Cup ties with FC Locarno and FC Witikon.

Team news
Marseille
Out: Julien Rodriguez (ankle), Cyril Rool (knee), Benoît Cheyrou (groin), Lucho (ankle)
Doubtful:
Suspended: Laurent Bonnart
Misses next match if booked: none

• Lucho was replaced by Charles Kaboré 64 minutes into the draw with Toulouse after picking up an ankle injury that is expected to keep him on the sidelines for up to four weeks.

Zürich
Out: Yassine Chikhaoui (knee), Martin Büchel (foot), Eric Hassli (rib, broken leg)
Suspended: none
Misses next match if booked: Xavier Margairaz, Onyekachi Okonkwo

Background
• Zürich registered one of the surprise results of the UEFA Champions League when Hannu Tihinen's early goal gave them a 1-0 win away to Milan on 30 September but two home defeats mean the Swiss champions are in need of another three points on their travels against Marseille.

• Gabriel Heinze scored the only goal in the 69th minute on Matchday 3 in Zurich to give Marseille their first win in Group C and take them above their opponents and into third place in the section.

• After losing their Matchday 1 contest at the Stade Vélodrome 2-1 to Milan, Marseille are anxious to improve their home record in Europe's premier club competition. In each of their last three UEFA Champions League group-stage campaigns OM have only been victorious in one of their three home games, losing four of those nine matches.

• Marseille are unbeaten in their last six meetings with Swiss opponents, home and away, since losing their first fixture, a 2-0 defeat at FC Sion in the 1994/95 UEFA Cup second round.

Did you know?
Zürich have won all three away games in this season's UEFA Champions League and are yet to concede a goal. Prior to their triumph in Milan, Zürich were victorious at NK Maribor in the third qualifying round and FK Ventspils in the play-offs, winning both games 3-0.