Marseille keen to make amends for Cup failure

PARIS, May 17 (Reuters) Olympique Marseille will be eager to make amends for their French Cup failure when they visit St Etienne with a Champions League spot at stake in Ligue 1 on Saturday.

Second-placed Marseille, who lost the cup final on penalties to Sochaux last weekend, will confirm their place in Europe's top competition if they win and either RC Lens or Girondins Bordeaux fail to do so.

Marseille have 58 points with two matches remaining, leading third-placed RC Lens, who host Nice, and Bordeaux, who travel to Le Mans, by two points.

In Ligue 1, the second-placed club qualifies directly for the Champions League group stage while the third-placed team plays the competition's third preliminary round.

The fourth-placed side goes into the UEFA Cup.

''I will try to lead my team into the Champions League because it is a competition I badly want to play,'' OM striker Djibril Cisse told the club's Web site (www.om.net) yesterday.

Cisse, who won the Champions League with Liverpool in 2005, struck twice against Sochaux at the Stade de France last Saturday but his performance was not sufficient to give Marseille their first trophy in 14 years.

''I cannot be content with my double as the team did not win.

Now, we must not let go because of this final we lost. We must bounce back to have a beautiful end to the season,'' the France striker added.

However, Marseille's task will not be easy as St Etienne, who are on 49 points and can still grab a UEFA Cup or Intertoto Cup spot.

Lens host Nice who are not yet sure of remaining in Ligue 1 next season.

Frederic Antonetti's side lead 18th-placed Troyes by five points and will be saved if the Troyes club fail to win at Paris St Germain.

Bordeaux travel to Le Mans, who have nothing to win or lose.

Olympique Lyon, who have already won a record sixth consecutive title, travel to Monaco.

Nantes, who are relegated, will play their last Ligue 1 home game against Toulouse.

REUTERS SAM PM1025