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Less than full strength Depleted Marseille seeks positive end to turbulent decade
Posted: Tuesday May 11, 1999 12:04 PM
MARSEILLE, France (Reuters) -- Few clubs have experienced anything like the roller-coaster ride Olympique Marseille has experienced in the 1990s. From the high point of winning the European Cup Final in 1993 to the low point of demotion to the French second division in 1994 in the wake of a massive bribery and corruption scandal that came to light after its European victory, Marseille has had it all. Now, as the decade ends, the club hopes to finish it as it started it -- as French champions. Having the UEFA Cup in the trophy room would just add to the new found luster Marseille has regained since putting the dark days of the mid-1990s behind it. For Marseille is not only within touching distance of winning the UEFA Cup, it is also involved in a neck-and-neck race with Girondins Bordeaux for the French title. For now, all eyes are focused on Moscow and Wednesday's UEFA Cup final against Italians Parma. Marseille goed into the match with a real disadvantage having four key players suspended -- Christophe Dugarry, Fabrizio Ravanelli, Peter Luccin and William Gallas. Midfielder Eric Roy is also out, injured. "I only have 12 players left," said coach Rolland Courbis who has helped Marseille regain its pride in the last two seasons. He might though now be tempted to bolster Marseille's defence with an unusual 5-4-1 line-up. Florian Maurice would play alone up front while Titi Camara will be a substitute. Courbis said midfielder Jocelyn Gourvennec, who spent most of the season on the bench, is certain to start along with former Daniel Bravo, once of Wednesday's opponents Parma. Marseille has reached the final without being beaten in the competition, but defender Patrick Blondeau did absolutely nothing for team morale when he declared he thought the club was the rank outsiders with very little hope of beating Parma. "Against Parma we have one chance out of a hundred," he said. "But last week, the odds were exactly the same in our favor against Paris St. Germain and they beat 2-1 by scoring twice in seven minutes." While Parma go into the final on a rich vein of good form, Marseille slumped to only its fifth league defeat of the season against PSG -- losing a 1-0 lead as Marco Simone and Bruno Rodriguez scored in the last 10 minutes. Courbis who went to Milan to see Parma's 3-1 victory over Inter said: "What I saw didn't boost my morale. On the contrary, it deepened my concerns. They are impressive."
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