Half way through their training camp in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, the Olympians will play their third friendly match of pre-season. It will take place in the home town of Didier Deschamps, Bayonne (20h30), against TFC. As the coach announced last week, the team will move into a different phase of their “friendly” campaign.
After the big changes during the matches against Vannes and Monaco, OM will take a step closer to their competition format. It has to be said, that in just one week they will be playing in the Champions Trophy against Paris, in Tunis. “The players in the starting line-up will be out on the pitch the longest, states the coach, if possible for the entire match, but at least a good hour. Others will play on Saturday so that everyone has 90 minutes under their belts over the course of the two games”.
Between Toulouse and Catania, on Saturday in Béziers, everyone will play and a team will take shape. They will also have to plan for eventual problems. “Those who play the full match tomorrow will play little if any of the game on Saturday and vice versa, adds Deschamps, we will have to juggle with the suspensions of Mamad’ and Brandao for the match against PSG. The four players who took part in the World Cup (Mandanda, Valbuena, Taiwo, A. Ayew) will not be used on Wednesday but on Saturday. We will have to combine things so that everyone has enough playing time”.
The group that will be called upon is the one present in the Basque Country, apart from the four OM players who were present in South Africa, for the game against Toulouse, a usual “sparring partner” during OM’s summer preparations. An often physical side, who will give the Olympians a good test just a week before they get back into competition.

OM-TFC
20h30 in Bayonne at the Stade Jean Dauger
Live text and photos from Bayonne on OM.net
Live on Canal+
On OMtv after the final whistle