The observation phase
Newly transferred from Caen to Marseille, I discover a club of mythical proportions and a glorious past. I think this team was definitely better suited to my competitive character. I pay close attention to my new environment and listen to the seniors, bosses and of course Albert Emon my new coach.
 

My first goal
I am so lucky to have a good start to the season. I am playing regulary and my integration into the team is spot on. We start with the Intertoto cup in July against Berne. I score my first goal with a header in Switzerland but am then sent off and am fortunate that this has no major consequences.

Thundering debut
At the same time, we have a league game on August 6 at Sedan in an electrifying atmosphere. We finish with a good result which seems to bring us some goodluck and some more impressive victories. Our defence is amazingly solid and we remained undefeated for the 4 first matches. Only two questionable penalties would bring it to an end; at the Parc des Princes (Paris St Germain) and against Bordeaux.
Rennes (2-0),Auxerre (3-0), Le Mans (2-0), PSG (3-1), and Bordeaux (2-1) all these impressive clubs fall victim to our great playing . A special Mention for Paris St Germain-Olympique Marseille, a wonderful match and a victory on the Olympique Marseille, our top opposition on their own ground. I have never known such incredible fervor at a game. The fans now begin to talk about me in a more positive fashion and I find this a great help with my own self-confidence. At this stage Olympique Marseille are shining. Only Nantes would come and rain on our parade during the first 10 days by imposing a quick defeat at Beaujoire.

The knocks
The first change of the season is played at the Bollaert stadium in Lens where we were leading 1-0 when the referee blew for a questionable penalty in the last second. This unfair 1-1 draw cut us deep just as we were preparing for a home game.
Canal+ ( French version of sky sports)are broadcasting their thousandth match. We are concerned we won’t be up to it as Lyon are used to the kind of pressure that a match like this brings. The result is resounding 4-1 defeat, it is a mammoth disappointment but the fans don’t seem to hold it against us.
The first crisis is on its way and will eventually arrive on the evening of our 4th consecutive defeat of the championship against LOrient. We end the game in difficulty and without Ribery who has picked up an injury, now we are getting up and down results: victory at home, defeat away.

The winter break
On personal level I found it disturbing that we were unable to turn around a difficult situation. As soon as we scored a goal we appeared incapable of putting together a sustainable attack. I think this is why the training in Dubai during the break was so welcome. The team needed some time together in order to resolve the situation. This had an immediate effect, with victories at Rennes and against AJA. Then begins the Ribery and Cissé madness with the fans. We join the race for the Coupe de France. Our passage will be made easier with a good victory against Lyon in the dying minutes.
 

Olympique Marseille fall inexorably
But sometimes you can’t see the wood for the trees, because at this time our play is poor and disorganized. Ribery has picked up a new injury and this is really not helping an already dire situation. A defeat against Lens puts the management team under pressure. Now the fans are furious. We get to meet some of them and the debate is stormy but constructive. It can only be of help for the future and will give the boost the team needs pushing us to get a point from Gerland where realistically we should have won. We are still playing a little erratically and managing victories at home and losses away, up to the match against Lille, a match that should have been worth 6 points. We literally destroyed a powerless Losc(4-1).

A booming last straight line
This victory is good for the team and put Olympique back on the map for the Champions League. Moreover we manage to come back for the final of the Coupe de France beating Nantes 3-0. The morale is good, on top of that we get capacity crowds at home twice whilst playing Sochaux (4-2) and Troyes (2-1).
 

The final
11Th May 2007, the final of the league cup against Sochaux at The Stade de France. A huge greeting from the Marseille fans awaits us at the stade which is full of blue and white. This was the third League Cup Final I had played, having lost the previous two. We played against a good team that we had beaten a few days earlier. We were lucky to open the scoring quickly thanks to Cissé. But this goal changed the face of the game and the opposition came back just before the end of the match.
We went into extra time. Same scenario, We score straight away and Sochaux equalize 2 minutes before the end of the match. The resulting penalty shoot-out will remain for me the cruelest moment of my young career because missing my penalty gave the spoils to Sochaux. A huge disappointment for me on top of which I picked up an injury which kept me out of the side for the remainder of the season.
 

Champion’s league qualifying
In spite of the disappointment, we had to get back to it in order to assure qualification in C1. But the task looked daunting with a trip to Geoffroy-Guichard where we had trouble getting a win. Thanks to my mate Valbuena scoring we manage a place to the Champion’s league. The clubs objective is reached. We finish with some training in Morocco prior to leaving for a well deserved vacation.