Match presentation in the company of OM's Brazilian defender Vitorino Hilton. OM - Monaco at the Vélodrome on Sunday at 21h00.
Sunday at 21h00
Stade Vélodrome
Referee: M. Lannoy
Live on Canal+
Vito, how’s the form in this busy period?
OK, we’re playing every three days which makes the weeks difficult, but we have to take advantage of these rest days before the match on Sunday.
Is the team’s morale good, despite the defeat in the Champions League on Tuesday?
It is, even though we drew against Bordeaux and the defeat to Liverpool. I feel that we put in two good performances and we have to keep them in mind for the game against Monaco.
You seemed to be in your element against Liverpool, have you completely found your feet at OM?
I’m more at ease than I was at the start of the season. It’s normal as, when you arrive in a club like OM, you feel like you have to show what you can do straight away. Things didn’t start well against Rennes for the first match but now things are better and I’m happy with my performances. But, I know that I can still do better and have more to offer to OM.
Has the fact that you conceded 2 goals against Liverpool, made the defence have doubts?
No. When you look at the goals, there was an unstoppable shot from Gerrard and then a penalty. Certainly, there are little problems that we need to work on. We are concentrated for 80 minutes then we sometimes let go, we have to rectify that.
The Monaco forward, Park, has announced that his team is stronger than OM, is that a source of motivation?
Of course. It will be up to us to prove the contrary on Sunday. We haven’t won in two games and we are playing at home against Monaco. We’ll be doing all we can to win in front of our supporters.
Is it an advantage to play on Sunday, after everyone else?
Personally, I don’ty like to know the results of the other games. We’re playing last, so we’ll know the scores. Even if the results of the other matches are in our favour we will still be motivated to win.
The move from Champions League to League, is it difficult?
We have to play as we did in the last two games. Our performances against Bordeaux and Liverpool were good. We have to play the same way, but win.
A Marseille native in form at Monaco
Frédéric Nimani, the athletic Monaco attacker (1m90, 85kg) is in top form at the moment with three goals in five matches. At 19 years of age, the player born in Marseille, who’s first club was FC Burel, is firing on all cylinders under the orders of Ricardo.
A big win for Atlético
Atlético Madrid, OM’s opponents in the Champions League on the 1st of October, beat Recreativo Huelva (4-0) on Saturday. Their goals were scored by Agüero, Maniche and a double from their Frenchman Sinama-Pongolle.
The break neck rhythm will continue
After Bordeaux-Liverpool-Monaco this week, the rhythm is not going to slow down for OM. They will play in the Coupe de la Ligue on Wednesday against Sochaux then a trip to Le Mans on the Saturday before their game against Atlético Madrid on Wednesday the 1st of October. After that they have the game at home to Caen on Saturday the 4th of October, before finally having a normal week …
As expected, Adriano (knee), Bakar (shoulder), Zola (knee) and Muratori (back with the reserve side) are all out, as are the long term injured players: Loïc Dufau, Lucas Bernardi, Serge Gakpé and Yannick Sagbo.
6The number of points taken at the Vélodrome by OM since the start of the season. Two wins in two games against Auxerre (4-0) and Sochaux (2-1). Only Liverpool, in the Champions League, have won in Marseille so far.
We’re over the game against Liverpool and on Sunday we’re going to hit them hard. Believe me, we’ll hit them hard."
