In poor form at home since the victory over Bordeaux, over a month ago, OM and Mathieu Valbuena would like to offer their supporters the delight of a victory and goals over Ajax.
What frame of mind are you in before the match against Ajax Amsterdam?
We’ve had trouble at home recently and are more at ease on the road, but this is a different competition with two legged matches. We have to win this match and give ourselves a maximum amount of security. We have to win and score a few goals at home. It will do us the world of good.
Ajax are a mythical club, but this year their team is unknown. What do you know about the side?
They are a big club with great history and great players. This season, they have a lot of young players but we will have to be careful as they have a lot of talent as well like Oleguer, for example, who played for Barcelona. There is also Marco Van Basten, who is a great coach. We are going to forget about the match against Valenciennes. Our matches are continue and do not resemble each other at all. I hope we come out with a great victory.
In the last round, OM played the first leg at home as well against a Dutch team. That didn’t stop you qualifying. Could the same thing happen against Ajax?
I hope so. Normally we would have preferred to play the second leg at home. As far as I’m concerned, all that is in the head. Before heading to Paris we have a big match ahead of us. Our future will be decided over the course of the next three or four matches. We have to prepare ourselves well. In the UEFA Cup, we’re in the last 16 and it would be great to make the quarter-finals. To do so, we need to win on Thursday.
This season, OM have already played against two Dutch clubs, PSV and Twente. Do you think it is an advantage to play against Ajax, who have a typically Dutch style?
A team like Ajax, with a coach like Marco Van Basten, who was a fantastic player, know how to play football. They are a real football school with young talents who are not where they are by chance. We will have to be motivated and serious and play as a real block. We’ve haven’t conceded many goals at home, which is positive, but this will be a difficult match.
