Diarra focused on European goal

After he featured for France at the 2006 FIFA World Cup, last season must have come as something of a surprise to Alou Diarra. The midfielder was used only sparingly by champions Olympique Lyonnais, so jumped at the chance to join FC Girondins de Bordeaux in the summer. He has not looked back since.

'Ambitious'
The 26-year-old has played in 23 of 24 games for a Bordeaux side sitting second in Ligue 1, while also helping Laurent Blanc's men into the UEFA Cup knockout stage. Bordeaux resume their European campaign away to Round of 32 opponents RSC Anderlecht on Wednesday, with Diarra relishing the challenge. "We have ambitions in Europe and I'm happy to play in the UEFA Cup," Diarra told uefa.com. "It's a competition with good teams and excellent players, even if the UEFA Champions League is a different level altogether. Playing in Europe is something I wanted, whatever the competition, and I'm doing it with Bordeaux."

'Key period'
Bordeaux won all four matches to top their UEFA Cup group in the autumn, setting up this week's first-leg meeting with the Belgian champions. Diarra hopes to play, despite being more than happy to comply with Blanc's rotation policy. "It's important everyone feels involved," he said. "That's the coach's decision. We're entering a key period and I'm going to work hard to play in these matches. I came here to play European football. I want to play in the UEFA Cup. It is important to play well in this competition so Bordeaux become established across Europe."

Well-travelled
Bordeaux are Diarra's eighth club since his emergence at third-division Club Sportif Louhans-Cuiseaux 71. Signed by FC Bayern München in 2000, he left for Liverpool FC two seasons later without a first-team appearance to his name. He was unable to break through at Anfield either, yet still enjoyed the experience. "I played with great players," said Diarra, who now has 12 France caps. "The tempo was higher, so were the ambitions. The pressure was constant. Even though I didn't play, I learned a lot and being there was a source of pride. I would have liked to stay at Liverpool, but didn't feel the staff had faith in me so left to get playing time."

Lens success
This he found during subsequent spells at Le Havre AC, SC Bastia and RC Lens. Indeed, he caught the eye sufficiently in his two seasons with Lens to earn both a place in France's World Cup squad and a 2006 transfer to Lyon. And if life with the French champions did not go according to plan, Diarra is making up for lost time with Bordeaux. Blanc's side are just four points behind the Ligue 1 leaders while also progressing in the French Cup.

Bayern dream
Then, in the UEFA Cup, there is the small matter of Anderlecht – a tie which, if negotiated successfully, could result in a last-16 encounter with Diarra's old club Bayern. "Playing against them would be a dream for me," he said. "I had two great seasons there and have fond memories of my time in Germany. I was very young, it was not easy, but the club did everything to make me feel good and I learned a lot."