as manager Laurent Blanc plots their first quarter-final breakthrough
in more than two decades.
A dip in form has seen the French Champions lose their massive nine
points advantage at the top of Ligue 1, excluding their match in hand.
They have failed to pick all three points from their last three
domestic games. Prompting the charge from Blanc, who would love
nothing but an uncomplicated win over Olympiakos (Bordeaux have the
advantage courtesy Michael Ciani's strike at Piraeus) in the return
leg of the UEFA Champions League to help his side regain a bit of
confidence needed to ease out their fears.
Bordeaux are France most experienced club, with a massive
record of 169 European matches to their credit. But Blanc knows his
team very well, and has acknowledged the simple fact that they are
under intense pressure to deliver tonight.
The gaffer, though is under no illusion that tonight's encounter with
Olympiakos will be a routine dispatch, and insists they must
rediscover the stellar form that helped them end Lyon's dominance last
year if they are to win a trophy this year.
"I hope the team rediscovers the competitive spirit we had in 2009,"
he said. "otherwise we will have problems both in the Champions League
and in the League. This game is a turning point. My team needs to
regain its soul."
Blanc is adamant they can scale through tonight's hurdle, if they
imbibe the mental strength and attitude that enabled them beat
Juventus 2-0 at the Stadio Olympico during the group stages of the
UEFA Champions League.
"We went to Turin with a lot of desire, we had the desire to play and,
above all, not feel what French clubs often feel against big famous
clubs - a certain fragility, a certain compley. My players got over
that," he concluded.
As Les Girondins look forward to exploring new possibilities, I wish
Chamack and the club he must leave come August, the very best in their
ensueing endeavour.
