Bordeaux v Olympiakos preview

Blanc: Olympiakos challenge

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Bordeaux v Olympiakos
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Laurent Blanc's Bordeaux side are in the driving seat as they prepare to face Olympiakos in their UEFA Champions League showdown.

The French champions hold a 1-0 lead over their Greek counterparts following a slender victory in Athens three weeks ago, and take a crucial away goal into the game at Stade Chaban-Delmas.

With a place in the last eight at stake, Bordeaux will be keen to advance having crashed out at the group stage last season.

Olympiakos, meanwhile, did not get past the qualifying round of Europe's elite club competition last term, and will want to right the wrongs of that campaign with a victory in South West France.

Les Girondins have a Michael Ciani header to thank for their first leg lead, and they have an excellent record at home in the tournament.

During the group stage Bordeaux picked up five wins and one draw, only dropping points against Juventus in the opening game.

The win against Olympiakos was their sixth successive triumph in the competition, and the fourth Champions League game in a row that they kept a clean sheet.

Indeed, Blanc's men have not conceded a goal in Europe in 444 minutes of football - leaving the Greek side with an uphill struggle if they are going to secure qualification.

Furthermore, only once in Champions League history has a team beaten at home in the first leg come through, Ajax losing 1-0 against Panathinaikos in the 1995/96 semi-finals first leg but winning 3-0 in Athens.

If Olympiakos are going to progress, they will need to be firing on all cylinders, requiring a better performance than they put in on Saturday, drawing 2-2 at home with PAS Giannina FC after conceding two own goals.

Team news

Premier League old boys Matt Derbyshire and Lomana LuaLua were on the scoresheet for the Greeks at the weekend, and both could feature against Bordeaux.

The strikers will have a key role with Olympiakos having only scored four goals in the competition this term - fewer than any side in the first knockout round.

Kostas Mitroglou returned to the starting line-up against Giannina and is expected to continue without a protective mask following his broken nose.

Oscar Gonzalez and Michal Zewlakow were both unused substitutes in the same game, having missed recent matches due to knee and groin problems respectively.

However, Olympiakos are expected to be without Jesus Alberto Datolo and Diogo (both hamstring), and Didier Domi and Dudu (both foot).

Luciano Galletti will continue to sit out due to a long term kidney condition.

The Athenians have good experience at the back, though, with Olof Mellberg in central defence and 39-year-old Antonis Nikopolidis in goal.

Bordeaux drew 0-0 with Monaco on Saturday and they remain at the summit of Ligue 1.

Blanc made six changes to the side beaten 2-1 by Auxerre on 10th March, with the injured Marc Planus replaced by Fernando and regulars Matthieu Chalme, Jussie, Yoann Gourcuff, Marouane Chamakh and Fernando Cavenaghi either rested or starting on the bench.

Captain Alou Diarra has returned to the fold for the last two games and is set to continue in midfield, having previously suffered a hamstring injury.