The OM midfielder see's in this Champions Trophy match against PSG, on Wednesday in Tunis, the chance to start off the season in style and gain yet another honour.
After arriving at 18h15 in Tunisia, the Olympians immediately made their way to the hotel which will house them until Wednesday’s match in Radés. Tunisian and French journalists were present at the hotel for the first press conference. The former Paris Saint-Germain player, Edouard Cissé, answered questions. Interview.
What does this Champions Trophy match, against one of your former clubs, mean to you?
The chance to put in a good performance, to start the season well and win a title. If we are successful, it will be another honour for us, no more, no less.
With four pre-season friendlies under your belts, are OM ready to face an official encounter with so much at stake?
I don’t think that it will be a physically strong match, as we are not at 100% with two weeks still to go before the start of the season. But, whatever our physical state we have to play this match as it is a reward for two sides who won a title last season. We cannot focus on whether it is the right moment, we are going to try our best and win it.
With the two trophies that you won last season, is there more pressure to confirm your status this season?
Even if we hadn’t won anything last year we would have great ambitions this season. How are we going into this match? That’s the big question. The World Cup players arrived later, Gabriel Heinze and Stéphane Mbia aren’t available, we have players suspended. But, we still want to win.
How will the Marseille public welcome this match against Paris?
It’s always a special match. We know what it takes to make them happy. In the league we will have two matches against PSG, we might as well start in a good fashion. This match is something different, it will be played two weeks before the start of the season proper, we aren’t at 100%. I think the supporters will be indulgent, we will still give all we have to honour the colours of Marseille.
The image of French football took a blow in South Africa. Do you want to try and restore its reputation abroad with this match in Tunis?
That is a difficult question to answer and it is hard to attack your compatriots even if they did make mistakes in South Africa during the World Cup. Our mission is to play well for our supporters. As for French football, there are people better placed to restore its reputation.
