France and Marseille winger Frank Ribery is reportedly set for an exit from Marseille, with interest from French champions Lyon, as well as several Premiership clubs.

Both Manchester United and Arsenal have been alerted after it emerged that Marseille winger Frank Ribery could be ready to leave the Championnat club according to Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas.

There is also interest from Tottenham Hotspur boss Martin Jol, who is also reported to be keeping an eye on his progress, with a view to signing the winger.

Last Tuesday, Marseille boss Jean Fernandez resigned in the role of manager of l'Oheme for personal reasons, and it seems that Ribery now wants a move, either to the Premiership, or a domestic move.

"I think that Fernandez's departure hurt him," said Aulas.

“Pape Diouf, [the Marseille president] already said that he would not leave.

“I don't know yet whether he will join Lyon but I don't think he will stay with Marseille."

Djibril Cisse has revealed he would be tempted to leave Liverpool this summer if Marseille renew their interest in signing him.

The France striker was close to joining the Mediterranean giants in January, only for Liverpool to have a last-minute change of heart about the deal.

Cisse enjoyed the best spell of his Reds career in the second half of last season and it is thought manager Rafael Benitez is keen to hang on to him, but if the right offer is received from Marseille the 24-year-old is prepared to head back to France.

"I am ready to study any offer," he told La Provence.

"I have two favourite clubs in France, AJ Auxerre and OM, who have always made me dream. And I know that one day I will play at Marseille.

"We almost reached an agreement (in January) but Liverpool eventually decided to oppose the transfer.

"In Marseille people thought that I did not want to come but that was absolutely not the case."

Bordeaux's Fernando Menegazzo ruined Marseille European ambitions as the Brazilian scored a late equaliser in their 1-1 draw at the Stade Chaban-Delmas on Saturday.

Marseille had at the start of the evening been in possession of a UEFA Cup spot and even had Champions League aspirations.

When Toifilou Maoulida gave them the lead they looked to be on course to reach at least one of those objectives but Fernando's late blow and results elsewhere combined to keep them confined to domestic duties next season.

Lille finished third and in the preliminary round of the Champions League while Lens snatched a UEFA Cup spot.

Marseille started brightly and Mamadou Niang unleashed a powerful shot but it failed to trouble Bordeaux goalkeeper Ulrich Rame.

Midfielder Franck Ribery, who is still hoping to be picked by national coach Raymond Domenech for the World Cup in Germany, tried his luck after 17 minutes but Rame saved well.

Five minutes later it was the turn of Maoulida to have a go but he was wayward with his finishing.

Ribery was determined to swing any remaining doubts in Domenech's mind and he then forced Rame to make another save.

Bordeaux created a scare when Bruno Cheyrou forced Fabien Barthez to make a save from his powerful shot.

Barthez then had to repeat the feat when Cheyrou had another go with a free-kick.

Marseille went close just before the interval when Renato Civelli's right-footed shot went just wide.

Marseille started the second period aggressively and Niang fired another shot wide but at the other end Bordeaux threatened when Marouane Chamakh's header was just wide of the mark.

Marseille must have thought they had done enough as Maoulida beat Rame with an angled shot from the right.

However, their hopes would be dashed when Fernando profited from a mistake by Civelli to score a goal that was cheered just as loudly by fans of Lille and Lens.

Nantes coach Serge Le Dizet has urged his side to finish their Ligue 1 season on a high despite having nothing to play for in Lens on Saturday.

Les Canaris have already secured their survival while Lens will be looking to snatch an improbable place in the UEFA Cup.

But the hosts' fate will depend on Marseille, who travel to Bordeaux, and Rennes, who face Lille. Lens need Marseille to lose and Rennes to do no better than a draw to stand a chance.

Le Dizet has no intention of making it easy for Lens at the Stade Felix-Bollaert.

"We must be honest and play our last match well," he said. "We know it will be a difficult encounter against a tough side.

"We have to finish off the season well and take points. It would be good to end the campaign on a positive note."

Lens midfielder Alou Diarra knows his side's European chances are all but over.

"There is a little pressure, but considering that we were unable to win over Le Mans last week, our fate is not in our hands anymore," he said.

"Even if we win, we will have to rely on a faux pas from Rennes and Marseille and it is not easy to be in such a situation.

"Now the aim is to please our fans at Bollaert and win."

Francis Gillot, who was this week confirmed as head coach ahead of next season, will be without suspended striker Daniel Cousin, Ligue 1's third top scorer this season.

Gillot will, however, welcome back Olivier Thomert, who has shaken off his thigh injury.

For Nantes, goalkeeper Mickael Landreau will play his last game before joining Paris St Germain next season.

Le Dizet has three absentees, including defender Franck Signorino (hip and calf), midfielder Julio Rossi (groin) and striker Habib Bamogo (illness).

Mamadou Diallo is rated doubtful with a thigh problem.

Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas has confirmed his interest in Marseille midfielder Franck Ribery.

The 23-year-old playmaker, who joined Jean Fernandez's side from Galatasaray last summer, has notched 10 goals this season, catching the eye with some impressive displays.

Ribery is strongly tipped to be in the France squad for the World Cup in Germany next month and Aulas revealed provisional discussions with the player's agent have already taken place.

Aulas said: "I don't want to embarrass Marseille but Ribery is an excellent player who has a chance to be picked for the World Cup.

"We have discussed this with his agent and he could be interested."

After another successful season, Lyon have reportedly made a 15 million euro (£10.2m) profit, which means the five-times Ligue 1 champions can dedicate 45 million euros (£30.7) to recruitment ahead of next season.

Ribery's agent Bruno Heiderscheid insists it is his "duty" to speak to Lyon, despite the fact he only recently extended his OM contract until 2010.

"This is my duty, to listen to what a club like Lyon have to say," he said. "They won the French title five times.

"I met with Mr Aulas on Tuesday and Wednesday. Lyon have good points. Even if OM is a great club, it would be nonsense not to listen to what Lyon want."

Ribery insists he wants to remain at Marseille, but Heiderscheid has urged the Mediterranean giants to pull out all the stops if they want to keep him.

He said: "Franck has a four-year contract. If OM want to keep him - which is the player's first choice and mine too - they are going to have to make serious efforts."

"The objective is truly to stay at Marseille. But we are going to see how things evolve.

"Franck's level is so high that the greatest European clubs are interested in him, and not only Lyon.

"We must take everything into account."

If Marseille fans are sitting at home on Champions League nights next season watching Lille in the prestigious tournament, they will shudder at the memory of Saturday's draw at home against relegated Strasbourg.

It could be a result which prevents the Mediterranean club from making the European tournament.

Level on points will Lille in the third and final Champions League qualifying place before play, Marseille needed a second-half equaliser just to take a point while Les Dogues claimed all three from their match with Lyon.

Marseille's game with Strasbourg was scoreless at half-time, but heated up quickly after the restart with Samir Nasri striking the first goal for the home side in the 47th minute.

Yacine Abdessadki and then Rudy Carlier gave the visitors the lead before Franck Ribery pulled Marseille level in the 73rd minute.

Marseille threatened in the sixth minute when Nasri centred from the left but his drilled cross was just out of team-mate Toifilou Maoulida's reach.

Mamadou Niang tried his luck from 25 yards out for Marseille but his shot failed to stretch Stephane Cassard.

Twenty minutes into the contest and Strasbourg began to find their feet and looked dangerous down the left.

Abdessadki nearly found himself on the end of Rabo Hosni's ball in but Fabien Barthez was sharp in the Marseille goal and claimed the ball first.

Abdessadki fed Hosni from the right but his header drifted by the stranded Barthez's right post.

Shortly after, a blocked shot for Marseille fell at the feet of Ribery who crossed for Maoulida in a good position but he failed to direct the ball on target.

Pontus Farnerud shot for Marseille but his effort flew left of the Marseille goal.

Marseille's Taye Taiwo raced through the Strasbourg defence from the left of the penalty area but his close-range effort drifted just to the right of Cassard's goal.

The home side appealed for a penalty shortly before half-time after Sabri Lamouchi launched a counter-attack and found Niang, who then passed to Maoulida as the latter ran into the box.

Maoulida was halted by Karim Haggui, but it was unclear if he had gotten some of the ball.

Marseille would not be denied in the second half.

Strasbourg only half-cleared a corner which found its way to the feet of Nasri and he unleash a piledriver from 30 yards which Cassard watched zoom past him into the back of the net.

Abdessadki wasted no time restoring parity.

Arthur Boka whipped an innocuous looking ball into the middle which somehow found its way through to the strikers' feet for him to finish from six yards.

Abdessadki continued to be influential and delivered a fine ball from the right for Carlier.

Twelve yards out and under pressure from Renato Civelli and Frederic Dehu, he failed to get a shot off.

Carlier gave the visitors the lead after being fed by Boka, though.

There was some suspicion of offside but the forward didn't fail when one-on-one with Barthez, firing in off the inside of the left-hand upright.

Ribery equalised after receiving a pass from Cana down the left.

He beat the statuesque Yves Deroff easily before shooting beyond Cassard.

Nine minutes from the end and Taiwo headed on target from Nasri's corner but Cassard blocked the attempt on the line.

Marseille will go all out for the three points that could help them qualify for the Champions League as they host an already-relegated Strasbourg at the Stade Velodrome on Saturday.

The last week has been a mixed one for Marseille who lost the Coupe de France final to arch-enemies Paris St Germain last weekend but then beat Auxerre 2-1 to move level on points with Lille in the race for the last Champions League spot.

With Lille facing champions Lyon this weekend, the opportunity is there for Marseille to qualify for Europe's top club competition.

"The best therapy was victory after the failure at the Stade de France," said defender Habib Beye in reference to the lost final and the subsequent win over Auxerre.

"We proved the group was united and of a high standard."

Beye, a former Strasbourg player, is not counting on any help from the Alsatians despite their relegation.

"That is a trap, we must not believe it will be easy," he said.

Striker Mamadou Niang, another former Strasbourg player and another Senegal international, agrees.

"We must give all we have against Strasbourg because they will have nothing to lose and will play in a very relaxed way," he said.

"I know their mentality. They are proud and will do their best until the end even if they are sure to be demoted."

Marseille coach Jean Fernandez has no suspended players but will be without striker Michael Pagis who sprained his knee.

Strasbourg coach Jacky Dugueperoux, facing the sack a year before his contract expires, will be without concussed striker Amara Diane.

Marseille bounced back from their Coupe de France final defeat with three important points from a 3-1 victory at Auxerre.

Goals from Mamadou Niang and Renato Civelli put Marseille 2-0 ahead and, although Auxerre pulled a goal back through Jean-Pascal Mignot, the Burgundy club could not find an equaliser.

The goal lifted Marseille to fourth in the table which would earn them a UEFA Cup slot, while they are also level on points with third-placed Lille in the race for a place in the preliminary round of the Champions League.

Marseille looked a little hungover from their disappointing result in the Coupe de France against arch-rivals Paris St Germain and Auxerre created the first chance when Benoit Cheyrou forced Fabien Barthez to make an early save.

The custodian distinguished himself again to save at the feet of Thomas Kahlenberg.

Marseille stirred from their slumber after 11 minutes when Franck Ribery's free-kick was volleyed just over by Niang.

Four minutes later it was the visitors from the Mediterranean coast who took the lead when Niang raced onto a pass from Frederic Dehu and found the net.

Auxerre tried to hit back and Peguy Luyindula had a shot deflected behind while Kahlenberg curled a shot wide.

Barthez then made a save from a Cheyrou free-kick as the Burgundy side continued to threaten.

Kahlenberg's poor back pass almost let in Niang for a goal but the Senegalese forward was unable to control the ball and the chance went begging.

Early in the second period, Luyindula forced a save from Barthez while at the other end Fabien Cool denied Samir Nasri.

Marseille almost doubled the lead when Taye Taiwo's free-kick rattled the woodwork.

After 68 minutes Auxerre came close to equalising when Cheyrou's free-kick in turn clipped the post but then came Marseille's second goal.

Civelli was the scorer as he got his head to a cross from Toifilou Maoulida.

Mignot pulled one back for Auxerre when he punished poor defending from a Kahlenberg free-kick.

Kahlenberg missed a good chance to equalise when he fired wide with only Barthez to beat and substitute Romain Poyet headed over but Auxerre could not find the equaliser they were looking for.

Goalkeeper Fabien Barthez is remaining upbeat despite Marseille recent Coupe de France disappointment and is convinced his side have what it takes to finish the season on a high.

The Mediterranean giants lost 2-1 to arch-rivals Paris St Germain in Saturday's final and now take on Auxerre in Ligue 1 on Wednesday as they continue their attempts to claim a place in Europe for next season.

"Against Auxerre, we should not even ask ourselves if we can bounce back or not - we must bounce back," said Barthez on www.olympiquedemarseille.com.

"Before the final, I said to the team that whatever the result against PSG, there was still a place in the Champions League at stake in the league.

"We lost the final but that's football. We must put this behind us and move on.

"Wednesday's match is important. There are three matches left. The season is not over because we lost on Saturday."

Marseille are sixth in the table, three points adrift of a place in the Champions League qualifying round.

Barthez is aware some of his team-mates were strongly affected by Saturday's loss but he is trying to remain positive.

"We can book a ticket to the Champions League so we now have to roll up our sleeves," added the France goalkeeper.

"If we finish third, there will still be a lot of good moments to experience. No-one will think about the final after that.

"We must not spoil everything and think it's over. We still can do something and we should not have any regrets."

Marseille will be without Mickael Pagis, who is ruled out of action for the rest of the season with a sprained right knee.

The striker picked up the knock during the cup final and is unavailable for three weeks.

"This is a huge blow," said Toifilou Maoulida, who scored his side's consolation goal in Paris.

"Mickael Pagis is a key element in the team. He is the one we rely on in attack.

"Now we will have to adapt and play differently."

Auxerre coach Jacques Santini has named a 17-man squad for the match, although Rene Bolf and goalkeeper Sebastien Hamel are out injured.

Auxerre are lying one place and two points behind Marseille in the table but a winless run of five matches has threatened to derail their European ambitions.

Paris St Germain scored at the beginning of each half to claim a deserved 2-1 win over Marseille  in the French Cup final on Saturday.

Bonaventure Kalou, who scored the winner for Auxerre in their Cup triumph last season, opened the score after six minutes and Vikash Dhorasso lashed in a second on 49 minutes.

Toifilou Maoulida pulled one back for Marseille on 67 minutes but Paris could easily have won by two or three goals in lifting its seventh French Cup.

Matches between these two sides usually cause trouble and riot police used CS gas to disperse fighting fans before the match, but there was no trouble inside the 80,000-capacity Stade de France.

Kalou hit the bar in the second half and Edouard Cisse forced Marseille keeper Fabien Barthez to a full-length save before Jerome Rothen curled a free-kick desperately close.

Kalou blasted in an unstoppable shot to open the score after Taye Taiwo first beat Cisse to the ball and then allowed the Parisian midfielder to win the ball back in the tackle. The ball broke free in the penalty area to Kalou, who hit a screamer under the Marseille bar.

Dhorasso, without a goal all season, chose the perfect moment to open his account when he strode forward as the Marseille defence retreated to unleash a 20-metre shot beyond a diving Barthez.

Bernard Mendy saved Paris in the first half when he threw himself in front of Mickael Pagis as he was about to shoot, but Marseille rarely looked like scoring.

Marseille, who have won the Cup 10 times, last picked up a trophy in 1993 when they beat AC Milan in the Champions League Final. They lost UEFA Cup finals in 1999 and 2004.

In a League One championship match Saturday, Lens moved to fourth, two points behind Lille, when they beat their northern neighbours 4-2 in a battle for third place in the league and a place in next season's Champions League.

Champions Lyon will be looking to reach a record 80 points at home to St Etienne in a traditionally fierce derby on Sunday.

Valenciennes, relegated in 1993 after the Marseille match-fixing scandal, returned to the first division by beating Sedan 3-0 on Saturday.

Valenciennes was wound up in 1996 when they dropped out of the league, but have been promoted from two divisions in successive seasons.

Paris and Marseille play again next Wednesday. Marseille have a chance to shake off their Cup woes when they travel to fifth-placed Auxerre, where a win would put Marseille fourth.

Paris are at Rennes who can claim third place with a win.

Olympique Marseille  have the chance to reward their long-suffering fans with their first silverware in 13 years when they face arch-rivals Paris St Germain in the French Cup final on Saturday.

Marseille, who enjoyed the last of their record 10 Cup wins back in 1989, have not put their hands on any trophies since their 1993 Champions League triumph.

'Our fans have been waiting for a title for a long time and now we have a chance to offer them one,' said Marseille coach Jean Fernandez.

Matches between the sides from France's two largest cities are always regarded as high risk and have become increasingly tense in recent years.

More than 2,000 police will be deployed around the Stade de France for the game between the two bitter foes, who have never met each other in a title match.

'We're preparing for this as for any other game and we're careful to avoid unwanted pressure,' said PSG coach Guy Lacombe.

'This is a football match and the focus must be on football'.

A Marseille supporter was paralysed after being hit by a seat thrown by PSG hooligans during a game between the two sides at Parc des Princes in 2002.

The last meeting between the two clubs, in March, resulted in a French Football Federation (FFF) ethics commission hearing because Marseille fielded a B team and asked their supporters not to travel to the match in Paris, citing security fears.

Around 20,000 Marseille fans are expected for the game and have queued up for hours to collect their tickets.

Marseille are on a great run, having knocked out Olympique Lyon in the Cup quarter-finals before thrashing Nancy 6-0 in Ligue 1 and beating Rennes 3-0 in the Cup semi-finals.

The southerners lie fifth in the Ligue 1 standings, three spots above PSG, and both clubs need to lift the Cup, whose winners qualify for the UEFA Cup, to make sure of playing in Europe next season.

'Marseille are on form and they're above us in the standings, which means they're the favourites and it will take a great performance to beat them,' Lacombe told reporters.

The danger for Marseille is likely to come from Portugal striker Pedro Pauleta, the PSG captain, who has scored 20 league goals this season.

Marseille's main trump card is midfielder Franck Ribery. Both a fighter and an artist, the 23-year-old is arguably the finest player in Ligue 1 and is being hailed as the new Zinedine Zidane.

Several players have said that Saturday's final, which will be played before a sell-out 80,000 crowd, should be approached simply as a potentially exciting football match.

'It's going to be a dream final against Marseille,' said PSG midfielder Edouard Cisse. 'It's going to be the match everybody wants to see.'

Marseille  playmaker Franck Ribery admits it will be a "big disappointment" if he fails to earn a place in France's World Cup squad. 

The 23-year-old, who scored one of his side's three goals in their Coupe de France semi-final 3-0 win over Rennes on Thursday, has never played for Les Bleus but is tipped to be among the names going to Germany this summer.

The attacking midfielder has stood out like a beacon for the Mediterranean giants this season and has vowed to continue giving it his all for the remainder of the campaign to secure his place in the squad.

"Let's say I will do all I can to go to the World Cup," he said. "Not taking part in it would be a big disappointment.

"But the coach (Raymond Domenech) makes his choices and I respect them. If I do not go, I will keep working hard."

Marseille boss Jean Fernandez has sung the praises of Ribery and insisted he has the ability to make the France squad.

"I have known him for two seasons and he is an exceptional guy," added Fernandez. "He has the potential to play with France, if not in the short term certainly in the next few months."

Marvellous Marseille  smashed six goals past woeful Nancy to keep their faint hopes alive of snatching third place and the final Champions League qualifying spot in France.

Mamadou Niang put the Mediterranean giants on their way with a pair of first-half goals and then both Toifilou Maoulida and Mickael Pagis struck twice after the interval in the mauling.

The outcome means Marseille are in fifth place - four points behind third-top Lille who won their game against Bordeaux.

Rennes are two points clear of Marseille and go into their match at Nice riding an eight-game winning streak.

As usually, there was a big crowd on hand, 50,000 supporters with most rooting for the hosts.

There were signs as early as the fifth minute that Nancy were headed for a hiding as Pape Diakhate had to block a 20-yard shot from Franck Ribery at the last second.

Ribery turned provider in the 11th minute, however, and that led to Marseille's first goal.

His cross found Niang who connected well for the 1-0 lead.

Pagis could had notched his first after another Ribery cross into a threatening area but he shot over.

Nancy's Emmanuel Duchemin took aim from 18 yards on the half-hour but the attempt flew over by inches.

Niang then had his second, and Marseille were well on their way.

Ribery again tormented the defence with a pass to Maoulida whose shot was blocked by the Nancy goalkeeper Gennaro Bracigliano, but Niang was on hand to score off the rebound.

The rout was on seven minutes into the second half when Maoulida tucked one away from only a few yards after a neat pass into the box by Lorik Cana.

Nancy's Carlos Kim tried to get one back with a shot that had to be punched away by Marseille goalkeeper Fabien Barthez.

Maoulida grabbed his second, scoring from 12 yards on the right side of the area in the 64th minute.

After Wilson Oruma, who came on for Maoulida, struck the ball over the crossbar, Pagis added to the onslaught with an 18-yard drive in the 88th minute before getting his second a minute into injury time with a lob from 10 yards.

If only his players had enjoyed this type of performance in recent weeks, Marseille coach Jean Fernandez must be thinking, they might be headed for next season's Champions League.

However, they entered the game with just one victory in their previous four matches and probably have left it too late to reach Europe's elite club competition.

As for Nancy, they are well clear of the relegation zone but too far away to mount a challenge for the UEFA Cup in the standings.

However, they are taking Nice in the Coupe de la Ligue final next week and that would qualify them for Europe.

Maybe that's why they showed very little on this occasion, worried about possible injury.

Prosecutors are seeking a two-year jail sentence for former Olympique Marseille coach Roland Courbis in the club's embezzlement trial.

Courbis is one of 14 defendants - who include club president Robert Louis-Dreyfus - facing charges of embezzling 22.1 million euros ($31.1 million Cdn) in club funds in the transfer of 15 players between 1997 and 1999.

Addressing the court Monday, prosecutor Mark Cimamonti said Courbis was the "main instigator" in a "system of institutionalized fraud."

Courbis coached Marseille between 1997 and 1999, leading the club to the 1999 UEFA Cup final, where it lost 3-0 to Italy's Parma.

Cimamonti asked for prison terms of two years for agents Gilbert Sau and Licio D'Onofrio and one year for Jean-Francois Larios, who played for Saint-Etienne before becoming an agent.

Cimamonti said Courbis, Sau and Larios should all pay fines of 375,000 euros ($528,430 Cdn), and D'Onofrio should pay 650,000 euros ($915,945 Cdn).

Also, Cimamonti said Louis-Dreyfus should receive a suspended prison sentence of between three and four years and pay a 375,000-euro fine.

The verdict is expected in April or May.

A disappointing week ended on a losing note for Marseille as they were beaten 1-0 by Monaco in the Cote d'Azur derby match.

Ernesto Javier Chevanton's strike separated the clubs as Marseille lost yet more points having had one taken away by disciplinary chiefs this week for the controversy surrounding their 0-0 draw with Paris St Germain earlier this season, although both clubs are appealing that decision.

Marseille started the brighter and Franck Ribery created a chance for Toifilou Maoulida who shot too high.

At the other end goalkeeper Fabien Barthez, playing against one of his former clubs, did well to parry a Marco Di Vaio shot and Frederic Dehu scrambled away the loose ball.

The goal came after 28 minutes as Di Vaio worked the ball to Camel Meriem whose cross was headed by the Uruguayan international Chevanton past a static Barthez.

Dehu rescued Marseille again with a tackle to foil Di Vaio who had only Barthez to beat but dallied too long.

In the second half Marseille striker Mamadou Niang beat two defenders before firing in a shot but the ball drifted agonisingly by Flavio Roma's left-hand post.

Barthez then blocked Di Vaio as Monaco went looking for another goal before Maicon worked a one-two with Meriem whose shot flew past the goal guarded by the France goalkeeper.

Roma came to the rescue for Monaco when he pushed away a well-struck shot from Maoulida but at the other end Barthez was relieved to watch a shot from Monaco substitute Olivier Veigneau go wide.

Marseille had one late chance to equalise with a flowing move.

Ribery whipped the ball into the Monaco area and Francois Modesto only managed to half clear.

Pagis met the ball with a stinging volley which Roma was able to save to secure a win that will be one of the highlights of what has been a poor season for Francesco Guidolin's side.

Kenyan international striker Dennis Oliech scored for Ligue 1 side Nantes in a 1-3 loss to Olympic Marseille at home on Saturday.

Oliech who came in as second half substitute for injured Mamadou Diallo scored in the 76th minute.According to Nantes website the Kenyan striker headed home a cross from Oliver Quint on the left wing.

The goal was the first for Oliech in Ligue 1 but his second for Nantes since he joined the club four months ago on a close to Sh300 million transfer from Al-Arabi of Qatar. His first goal for Nantes was in a French Cup match against Dijon two weeks that Nantes won 3-0. He now has two goals in four matches for the French side.

The goal may convince Nantes coach Serge Dizet to start Oliech more often in both league and French Cup matches.

Dizet was quoted two weeks ago on the club's website saying Oliech is yet to be fit to play a full game.

PFC Levski Sofia's record goalscorer Nasko Sirakov is urging the club on to UEFA Cup glory in his new role as executive director.
Living legend
Now 43, Sirakov is a Levski legend, having registered 206 goals in 258 games for the team, winning five Bulgarian titles and three Bulgarian Cups, as well as a double with PFC Slavia Sofia, and also scoring 23 times in 82 internationals.
Nothing to lose
However, the current side could eclipse the illustrious Sirakov if they take his beloved Levski beyond quarter-final opponents FC Schalke 04 and into the UEFA Cup semi-finals. As far as the 1994 FIFA World Cup hero is concerned, they have nothing to lose.
Beyond belief
"We have already surpassed expectations," he told uefa.com. "Few believed Levski could come this far. Now we want to play for our superb fans. I want them to be happy after both legs against the German team, and proud of our performances regardless of the final outcome."
No pressure
As Schalke visit Sofia tonight, Sirakov believes his side are under no pressure, having beaten famous European names like AJ Auxerre, Olympique de Marseille and Udinese Calcio en route from the second qualifying round to the last eight.
Similar standard
Sirakov is aware of the quality Schalke possess but is not afraid. "Teams like Auxerre and Marseille are probably as good as Schalke," he said. "Of course the German club are favourites to win the tie, but if we play as we have done so far, we have a chance.
Pressure game
"Schalke always put their opponents under pressure," he added. "They have some great individuals, but they are very strong as a team. If we can compete physically, if we run and press as much as them and also use our skills and improvise, then we can do something."
Terrific run
Levski go into the match on the back of a terrific domestic run which has seen them cancel out PFC CSKA Sofia's seven-point lead in the Premier League. Sirakov is already thinking about summer signings and a UEFA Champions League campaign in 2006/07.
Summer plans
"This summer we intend to sign two quality players," he said. "We will not sell any of our biggest assets unless we receive really good offers from top European clubs. With no disrespect to the other Bulgarian sides, we have shown we are the only one club capable of making a genuine assault on the UEFA Champions League group stage."
Famous firsts
Reaching the group stage would be a famous first for a Bulgarian club. However, there is no doubt a UEFA Cup success remains an even bigger prize.

Honours finished even in the battle of the UEFA Cup hopefuls as Le Mans fought back to earn a point against Marseille at the Stade Velodrome on Saturday.

Toifilou Maoulida had opened the scoring for the Mediterranean giants in the 23rd minute but they were pegged back 11 minutes later when James Fanchone powered home the equaliser.

The result sees Marseille slip two spots to seventh in the Ligue 1 table but they remain just two points adrift of fourth-placed Auxerre.

Le Mans are also in the hunt for a European place and lie two points further back in eighth with six games remaining.

Visiting goalkeeper Yohann Pele did superbly to defy Wilson Oruma in the sixth minute but he was partially to blame for Maoulida's opener 17 minutes later.

Franck Ribery's cross from the right was touched out by the fingertips of the diving Pele to the feet of the striker, who thrashed a shot home from close range.

Le Mans hit back and after Fanchone saw a 30th-minute shot saved by Cedric Carrasso, the same striker went one better when he got on the end of a Grafite cross to force a powerful effort into the corner of the net.

Marseille wasted chances to go back in front either side of the break, with Sabri Lamouchi's long-ranger going straight at Pele and Maoulida's header from a Lamouchi free-kick drifting just off target.

Le Mans finished the stronger, Daisuke Matsui shooting just wide in the 62nd minute before Frederic Thomas shaved the post following Fanchone's free-kick with just seconds remaining.