Olympique de Marseille - Inter Milan

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For the second year running OM have reached the knockout phase of Europe's premier competition, last year they came up short against Manchester United. Having drawn 0-0 in the first leg at home, Marseille went on to lose 2-1 at Old Trafford. This time Inter Milan, champions in 2010, come calling and coach Didier Deschamps is under no illusions regarding the enormity of the task ahead.

"Inter are a club with a rich history," he said. "We have faith in ourselves and are well prepared but we know that the two legs are going to be difficult given the quality of the opposition."

Deschamps: "Experience is essential"

Deschamps, a Champions league winner (as a player) with both Marseille and Juventus, has seen it all before but he is concerned that Inter may have the edge when it comes to knockout football on the European stage.

"In big games, experience is essential," said the man who also masterminded Monaco's run the final in 2004. "Experience counts in those tricky moments and Inter have lots of it, while some of my players made their Champions League debuts this season or last, so I would say Inter are favourites to qualify."

If that sounds like Deschamps getting his excuses in early, it isn't.  Winners in 2010 and quarter-finalists last year, Inter are in last-16 for the eighth season running. For OM, this is only the second time in 12 years that they have got past the group stage and they have never got to the quarter-finals or further since becoming the first French team to win the trophy in 1993.

A quick look at the squad lists shows that Brandão is OM's most seasoned Champions League campaigner with 34 appearances in the competition. That figure is dwarfed by the evergreen Javier Zanetti of Inter who has been playing top flight European football since 1996 and has taken the field (in the Champions League) an incredible 95 times during this period.

Inter on the slide?

Experience, while clearly important, can only take you so far and there is a feeling that too many of the Inter squad (13) are on the wrong side of 30-years-old.  The Nerazzurri are also having a tough time domestically, Claudio Ranieri's side are down in sixth and lost to Bologna at the weekend (3-0). Despite all that, Deschamps is sticking with the Inter are favourites line.

"I am convinced that these results do not reflect Inter's true value," he said. "They have big-name international players who are used to the Champions League and they still have nine of the team who won the competition in 2010. You will see that they will shape up for this match. Players like Milito, Pazzini, Forlan and Zarate are capable of making a difference and doing some damage.

OM absentees

The challenge for OM is clearly considerable. To make matters more complicated, Deschamps will be without Loïc Rémy, the former Nice striker has an injured hamstring while fellow forward André-Pierre Gignac (adductor) and Stéphane Mbia (thigh) are also out.

In spite of these absentees and the 1-1 draw against Valenciennes on Saturday, the south coast club are in decent form. OM are 15 matches unbeaten (winning 12) since a 1-0 defeat against Olympiacos in November. At one point, Deschamps' side recorded eight straight wins, before a 2-2 draw with Olympique Lyonnais in early February. They have also been boosted by the likely return to full fitness of Alou Diarra after the midfielder limped off with a toe problem at half-time against Valenciennes.

Probable teams

Marseille: Mandanda; Azpilicueta, Diawara, Nkoulou, Morel; Diarra, Cheyrou, Amalfitano, Valbuena, A. Ayew;  Brandao

Inter Milan: Julio Cesar; Maicon, Lucio, Samuel, Chivu; Zanetti, Poli, Cambiasso, Nagatomo; Sneijder (or Forlan); D. Milito

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