Spartak all set for 'match of the season' against OM

With his FC Spartak Moskva team locked on six points with Olympique de Marseille, coach Valeri Karpin described the Group F visit of the French champions as "our match of the season", knowing as he does that a victory would confirm their place in the knockout stage. Any win would suffice for the hosts while an OM triumph other than 1-0 would be enough for Didier Deschamps' men to advance alongside Group F leaders Chelsea FC.

Valeri Karpin, Spartak coach
Because the Russian season is almost finished, this is our match of the season. Though a draw would be a positive result, we wouldn't like to go into our last game against Žilina with progress not confirmed. We will not play for a draw. As far as our last fixture in the group is concerned, Žilina are beatable but there are millions of examples in football where matches against an underdog produce surprising results. So, the sooner we reach our goal the better.

We have a lot of injured players and to rotate our squad would be very difficult, especially after the match against CSKA [a 3-1 loss on Saturday]. Marseille are stronger now. When we played them two months ago it was the beginning of the season, but now they've played enough matches to find their form and rhythm. I can't say that we feel more confident just because of the result in the first match [a 1-0 win].

Didier Deschamps, Marseille coach
We know if we win we advance – that's why we will play to win, although we know it won't be easy. I wouldn't call this a 'cup match' because all the different results mean clubs can finish in various positions. Besides, we will not play extra time and there will be no penalty shoot-out. Circumstances have determined this match as a decisive one. We will be happy with any result that means we advance.

I saw some signs of tiredness in the Spartak players in their last match in the Russian league. On the other hand, however important that game was, the match against Marseille is more important for them. I cannot say that I am 100% sure we will succeed but even a narrow win will mean we advance. We have to score and to play well in defence. If Spartak score, we have to score more than them. We are ready for that.

Team news
• Spartak
Alex, Ari and Martin Stranzl (all thigh) are doubts. Sergei Parshivlyuk was ruled out for the rest of the group stage after suffering knee ligament damage in a 0-0 draw at FC Sibir Novosibirsk on 23 October, while Andrei Ivanov misses the game due to a thigh problem.

• Marseille
Édouard Cissé has recovered from a hamstring injury but Benoît Cheyrou has been sidelined with a groin injury.

Weekend results
20/11/10 PFC CSKA Moskva 3-1 Spartak
(Honda 57, Doumbia 66, Vágner Love 90+3; Ibson 17)
Defeat in Russian football's most prestigious derby ended Spartak's 10-game unbeaten run in the league. Spartak were leading 1-0 when CSKA lost Deividas Šemberas to a second yellow card after 51 minutes but still failed to secure victory. The player count was levelled when Nicolas Pareja received his marching orders in the final minute.

20/11/10 Toulouse FC 0-1 Marseille
(André Ayew 88)
Deschamps opted to start with André Ayew and Mathieu Valbuena on the bench following their midweek international exertions. Ayew's first league goal since mid-September ultimately earned OM victory, Taye Taiwo having hit the post from the spot ten minutes into the second half.

Did you know?
The rival coaches were both involved when France and Russia were drawn in the same UEFA EURO 2000 qualifying group. The away team won both games 3-2, Karpin scoring the winner in Paris on 5 June 1999. Deschamps and Karpin were in the starting lineups for those matches, Russia's home fixture taking place in Moscow on 10 October 1998.

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