Zurich target another upset

Posted Wednesday, October 21, 2009 by PA

FC Zurich will seek to build on their Champions League triumph over AC Milan at the San Siro when they host Marseille in Group C on Wednesday.

The Swiss champions claimed a 1-0 win over the Rossoneri in the last round of Champions League action, courtesy of Finnish defender Hannu Tihinen's back heel, to recover from their opening 5-2 loss to highly-fancied Real Madrid.

Goalkeeper Johnny Leoni played a pivotal role in Milan, frustrating the hosts after Tihinen's 10th-minute opener, and expects another busy night at the Letzigrund.

Leoni, who was on the receiving end of Real's romp in Zurich's previous home match of the competition, believes Marseille are favourites for the first meeting between the sides, despite the French club's failure to pick up a point in their opening two fixtures.

"I expect we must repeat the performance in Milan," Leoni said in an interview with Marseille's official website, www.om.net.

"If we can take some points against Marseille, this would be extraordinary."

The quality of the domestic Ligue 1 competition and their European pedigree gives Marseille the upper hand, says Leoni.

"There is no comparison," he added. "Ligue 1 is one of the greatest European championships. We see that the French teams almost always win against the Swiss club."

Zurich's win at the San Siro was an even greater surprise as their domestic Super League form has been poor.

Prior to last Saturday's 7-0 Swiss Cup win at FC Locarno, Zurich had lost four of their last five games in all competitions and they have kept clean sheets just three times in 10 games, leaving them adrift in their Super League title defence.

But Leoni is confident Zurich are capable of another memorable upset and is targeting the second round of the Champions League.

He said: "The objective is to seek further progress in this Champions League. Why not? We'll see.

"Marseille are probably less afraid of Zurich than Real Madrid but a game lasts 90 minutes and we'll see what happens on the field."

Leoni believes Zurich must watch Marseille's potent attacking duo Mamadou Niang and Brandao carefully.

"Niang is a great player like Cristiano Ronaldo and Inzaghi," the goalkeeper added.

"With Brandao, they form a beautiful pair of attackers. I must do everything to prevent them finding the net."

Eric Hassli is out with a broken leg, while defender Onyekachi Okonkwo is one yellow card away from a one-match suspension.

Marseille will be seeking to recover from their miserable start to the group stages, which sees them without a point after a 2-1 defeat to Milan and a 3-0 reverse to Madrid.

The loss at the Bernabeu was Marseille's sixth straight away defeat in the Champions League - a run they must end if they want to further their participation in the competition this season.

Their record against Swiss clubs is favourable. The French club are unbeaten in their last five meetings with Swiss opponents, since losing their first fixture against a side from Switzerland, a 2-0 defeat at FC Sion in the 1994/95 UEFA Cup second round.

Marseille will be without Souleymane Diawara, who was sent-off at Madrid but is currently out with a hamstring problem.

Garry Bocaly (thigh), Julien Rodriguez (ankle) and Cyril Rool (knee) are also absent.