Tangiers ready for the Trophée des Champions
25/07/2011
The 2011-12 season will begin in Morocco with a magnificent match of football between LOSC and OM. This 16th Trophée des Champions will be played in the state-of-the-art Grand Stade de Tangiers, inaugurated last April.
The Trophée des Champions continues its tour around the world. Since 2009, this match, that pits the French Ligue 1 champion against the winner of the Coupe de France, has been on the road to promote French football internationally.
Big night at the Grand Stade
After Montreal (2009) and Tunis (2010), the French Football League (Ligue de Football Professionnel) has chosen to play the 16th edition in Tangiers. A football hotbed, Morocco plays host to the Trophée des Champions in a brand-new stadium. Inaugurated last April, the Grand Stade de Tangiers (45,000 capacity) meets all the criteria of a modern sporting venue and will be one of the host stadiums for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations.
In front of a passionate and knowledgeable footballing public, LOSC Lille-Métropole, winners of an historic Ligue 1-Coupe de France double last season, take on Olympique de Marseille, second in the league and winners of the Coupe de la Ligue. After Olympique Lyonnais' double in 2005, Wednesday's match will be the second time the Trophée des Champions features the French league champion and its runner- up.
OM defending title
Winner of the 2010 Trophée des Champions, Marseille will be hoping to successfully defend its trophy and a win will see them join FC Girondins de Bordeaux, Paris Saint-Germain, FC Nantes and AS Monaco on two wins. LOSC, on the other hand, will be making their maiden appearance in the season curtain-raiser and will be looking for a third trophy in two months after their historic double.
>> Lille, OM fall in Trophée des Champion warm-ups
>> Trophée des Champions: Partnerships in action