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Mamadou Niang: Olympique de Marseille Focused For Paris Saint-Germain Clash

Niang believes that OM's forthcoming encounter could be a turning point in their challenge for Le Championnat...

Nov 20, 2009 10:13:41 AM

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Ligue 1 : Mamadou Niang (Marseille)

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Mamadou Niang

Olympique de Marseille’s Senegalese talisman, Mamadou Niang, has indicated that his side are thoroughly focused on the task of defeating arch-rivals Paris Saint-Germain in Friday evening’s Clasico.

“The whole team is focused, concerned, motivated and has a desire to play this game,” he explained to the club’s official website. “This is seen in training.”

Initially scheduled for the late-October date, the match was controversially called off only hours before kick-off because of a swine flu outbreak in les Parisiens’ camp. Niang has admitted that was initially a source of frustration for his team-mates, but it is now behind them.

“We were disappointed and a little edgy, but since we know that the game takes place on Friday, we all look forward to it. Today the postponement is forgotten,” he said.

While PSG are under pressure because of a poor recent run, OM are faring only marginally better, as Niang was keen to stress, considering recent ties as major set-backs in their title aspirations.

“We are committed to redeem ourselves from draws against Toulouse [1-1] and Olympique Lyonnais [5-5],” he explained. “We are not losing, but we are not moving either. It would be nice to start a winning streak against Paris on Friday. So for me, OM-PSG only means three points that will take us closer to the summit.”

Clasico encounters are always fiercely contested duels, and Friday night’s match promises to be no different, with the stakes high for both sides.

Robin Bairner, Goal.com

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