Blanc urges Bordeaux to deliver

Bordeaux coach Laurent Blanc called on his players to seize the moment ahead of the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final with domestic rivals Lyon here on Wednesday.

Blanc’s side trail 3-1 after a shaky defensive performance in the first leg in Lyon last week and must win either 2-0 or by three clear goals at their Stade Chaban-Delmas home to overturn the deficit.

The reigning French champions are undergoing their worst run of defeats under Blanc, having also lost 2-1 to Nancy in the league on Saturday and been beaten in the League Cup final last month by Marseille.

Blanc, though, insists his players are capable of rediscovering the form that made 2009 one of the most glittering years in the club’s history.

“If the players really want to make things right, firstly for themselves and then for everyone that loves Bordeaux, Wednesday’s match is a dream match against a great team that has been trying to reach the semi-finals of the Champions League for the last 10 years,” Blanc said on Tuesday.

“I expect lots of application, motivation and desire from them. They believe in it, I believe in them and I’ve told them: ‘Take pleasure in playing a match like this, because you might never get to play it again’.”

Bordeaux’s wobbly showing in the first leg was largely attributed to the absences of suspended skipper Alou Diarra and injured centre-back Marc Planus, who has been out since March 10 with knee ligament damage.

Holding midfielder Diarra will return to the side on Wednesday, however, while Blanc received a timely boost on Tuesday afternoon when Planus trained with his team-mates.

“He’s in the squad,” Blanc confirmed when asked if Planus would play.

“I can’t say any more about it.”

The possible availability of Planus means that defensive midfielder Fernando, who fractured his cheekbone in the defeat to Nancy, could be the only absentee from Bordeaux’s first-choice starting XI.

Lyon, meanwhile, will be without Argentine striker Lisando Lopez, who scored twice in the first leg, after both he and winger Sidney Govou picked up yellow cards that ruled them out of the return match.

“It’s not a relief for me but Lyon are losing a good player,” said Blanc of Lisandro’s suspension.

“Lyon’s strength is that when they have their whole squad available they can replace Lisandro with (Bafetimbi) Gomis. We know about Lisandro’s qualities. Gomis, if it’s him, has other qualities and can score goals.”