© EuroFootball.com
Their goalkeeper is resting in a long-term disqualification, their coach may resign, and they have only collected five points in the last seven Ligue 1 matches, but Marseille's "Olympique" has not lost hope.
"Everything is still possible," said club president Pape Diouf, whose team will visit Nantes on Saturday. "We must not give up. It would be an insult to our fans."
Until the end of the championship with five matches left, trailing 14 points behind league leaders Lyon's "Olympique," they had to forget all their dreams of winning the champions' title. But they are only three points behind the team currently in second place.
The goal of the Marseille club is to finish second in the league and secure a direct ticket to the Champions League, although if Marseille continues to display the recent form they have shown, the club may fall outside the top four and only play in the Intertoto Cup next season.
After a surprising 1-2 loss to average team, Diouf took group therapy and on Tuesday held a meeting between players and club management.
"Everyone said what they had to say," shared Diouf. "It was a bit noisy, but very useful."
Later, the team traveled to an undisclosed location in the province of Brittany, where players, turning off their mobile phones and without any connection to the outside world, will stay until Saturday's match.
On Thursday, only goalkeeper Fabien Barthez was missing because he had to appear before the French Football Federation's disciplinary committee for an incident that occurred during friendly matches with "Wydad Casablanca" last summer.
Barthez could be disqualified for several months if found guilty. The verdict is expected no earlier than Friday.
Troussier also became the main headline maker in newspapers, hinting that he might move to the main competitors - "Paris St. Germain" or to a Spanish club. When asked about his future, the coach only made the mystery thicker, saying that someone in the club already knows his decision.
The championship leaders have no such problems. Coach Paulo le Guen's men, leading the closest opponent by 11 points, will visit on Sunday.
Lyon, who suffered their first defeat of the season last Sunday against (1-0), are not yet sure whether they will secure the champion title for the fourth time in a row this weekend, but it should happen before the end of the season.
