Spring offensive boosts Marseille

Olympique de Marseille may have endured an indifferent start to their European campaign, but two factors helped them gain momentum in the UEFA Cup.

Goalscoring exploits
One was the goalscoring expolits of Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba. Second was the appointment of coach José Anigo in January, which has overseen a dramatic upturn in fortunes that has led his team to tonight's final against Valencia CF in Gothenburg.

Bad portents
A tough UEFA Champions League group stage draw did not augur well for Marseille. Pitted against Real Madrid CF and UEFA Cup holders FC Porto, they put up a good effort in their opening game only to lose 4-2 at the Santiago Bernabéu. A Drogba hat-trick saw them win their next game against FK Partizan, but that was to prove their sole Champions League victory of 2003/04. However, a 1-1 draw in their final outing against the Serbo-Montenegrin champions gave them the point they needed to finish third in Group F and reach the UEFA Cup.

Coach sacked
Coach Alain Perrin was sacked in January, following Marseille's disappointing showing both in the Champions League and Ligue 1, and replaced by youth academy coach and former player Anigo. A surprise appointment, Anigo set about creating a better team spirit and suddenly the team began to buzz. Drogba, forced to shoulder extra responsibility as the French side were hit by injuries to Steve Marlet and Ahmed Hossam 'Mido', came into his own.

Fightback begins
Marseille overcame a determined FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk in their opening UEFA Cup tie thanks to a Drogba penalty at the Stade Vélodrome in what was their 100th game in Europe. The Ivorian was then on target in both legs against Liverpool FC in the fourth round, finding the net during a 1-1 draw at Anfield and equalising from the penalty spot in the return before Abdoulaye Méïté headed the winner.

Drogba suspended
The excitement went to the 26-year-old striker's head in the quarter-final first-leg match against FC Internazionale as he was booked for responding too vigorously to the home fans' acclaim of his winning goal and had to sit out the return. Marseille demonstrated that they were far from a one-man team by repelling wave upon wave of Inter attacks at the San Siro before Camel Meriem broke away to score a superb solo goal.

Through to final
Drogba returned to action for the semi-final tie against a weakened Newcastle United FC. Although he was denied by the post in a goalless draw at St James' Park, he showed his liking for English sides by scoring two superb goals at the Stade Vélodrome to propel his side to the final, where they are determined to give their passionate support something to cheer after a mixed Ligue 1 campaign.