Anigo replaces Baup as Marseille coach

Olympique de Marseille have named sporting director José Anigo as caretaker after parting company with coach Élie Baup following their 1-0 home defeat on Friday night by FC Nantes.

Anigo, 52, has a long association with OM, having represented the club as a player and having guided them to the UEFA Cup final in 2004 as coach before becoming a sporting director. He will be in charge until the end of 2013, starting at home to Borussia Dortmund in their last UEFA Champions League fixture on Tuesday.

Baup, 58, took the reins from Didier Deschamps and led Marseille to a second-place finish in Ligue 1 last term, behind Paris Saint-Germain. OM have lost all five matches in UEFA Champions League Group F this season, however, and the defeat by Nantes saw them drop to fifth place in the domestic standings.

"It's the most painful and difficult decision I have had to make since I joined the club," said executive president Vincent Labrune. "Élie Baup was unaninously appreciated for his human qualities. No one could forget the effort he gave at Olympique de Marseille.

"This season though, he didn't get the expected results. A psychological shock was needed for us to revive our ambitions. The team has not shown the quality and determination exepected, especially for a club like Olympique de Marseille."