Marseille eyeing return to European glory days

French club face Austria’s Red Bull Salzburg in semis

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Quarter of a century on from giving French football its crowning moment in Europe, Marseille are dreaming of continental glory once again.

But the club that won the inaugural Champions League in 1993 — still the only time the European Cup has been won by a French side — must first come through a semi-final against Austria’s Red Bull Salzburg, with the first leg at the Velodrome on Thursday.

If Marseille can win before a sell-out crowd of more than 60,000 on Thursday night, it will set them up to finish the job in next week’s return and keep them on course to make a final that will be played in France, at the home of their bitter rivals Lyon.

Given that Atletico Madrid and Arsenal meet in the other semi-final, Marseille cannot be seen as favourites to lift the trophy.

Nevertheless, the rousing 5-2 win over RB Leipzig in the second leg of the quarter-final at the Velodrome confirmed that they are a club on the up again under Rudi Garcia.

The former Lille and Roma coach has spearheaded Marseille’s revival on the field since American tycoon Frank McCourt’s takeover of the club in late 2016. McCourt immediately launched his ‘Champions Project’, aimed at getting the club back into Europe’s top club competition again as soon as possible.

They are currently locked in a fierce battle with Lyon and Monaco for two Champions League qualifying berths in Ligue 1 behind champions Paris Saint-Germain.

But with Florian Thauvin in the form of his life, Dimitri Payet at his best again and Brazil midfielder Luiz Gustavo proving an inspired signing, they could yet win the Europa League and, in the process, qualify for the Champions League anyway.

“We are on a winning run, which is important, and now we are going to study Salzburg closely,” said Garcia after a 5-1 weekend win over Lille.

“We want to play with the same degree of enthusiasm, talent and team spirit.

“We are never more clinical than when everyone is playing for each other. With this spirit, this team is capable of being stronger than everything.”

AP Marseille‘s Hiroki Sakai (right) is congratulated by teammates at the end to their Europa League quarter-final second leg match against RB Leipzig in France last month.