Paris: Title challengers Marseille will look to put their legal woes behind them and reclaim top spot in Ligue 1 when they travel to Nice in Friday’s early French league match.
Marseille — one point behind leaders Lyon after 21 games — visit mid-table Nice just days after French police arrested ten people as part of an inquiry into suspect transfers involving the club.
The transfers under investigation date back to 2010 — the year the club won the last of their ten Ligue 1 titles — and include that of French international striker Andre-Pierre Gignac, the club’s top scorer.
The southern giants, however, face another challenge at Mediterranean neighbours Nice, who have gotten their year off to a bright start with wins against Bordeaux and Lorient.
Nice midfielder Eric Bautheac and defender Jordan Amavi, who have both been reported Marseille transfer targets, will get an opportunity to impress coach Marcelo Bielsa.
“Marseille are a big, big challenge,” admitted Bautheac. “They are, however, slightly less efficient than they were in the first half of the season, and it’s up to us to seize the opportunity.
“It’s even better that they won Sunday [against Guingamp], so at least they won’t be coming to us with the knife between their teeth.”
Amavi added: “[Steve] Mandanda is a good goalkeeper. Gignac scores every weekend. They are stuffed with talent.
“But they are human like us: they have two arms, two legs. And if we do the right things on the pitch, there will be no problem.”
Bielsa will be forced to reorganise his defence with Rod Fanni and Benjamin Mendy suspended and Nicolas Nkoulou on Africa Cup of Nations duty with Cameroon.
Winger Romain Alessandrini also remains uncertain after picking up an ankle injury in last weekend’s 2-1 win against Guingamp.
Nice, meanwhile, are also embroiled in controversy amid a legal wrangle with Fifa over new recruit Hatem Ben Arfa, who was on loan to Hull City from Newcastle United during the first half of the season.
World football governing body’s rules’ state that a player can appear for no more than two clubs in the same season.
