Created on 16-03-2012 at 00:00 AM
Olympique Marseille and Bayern were founded in 1899 and 1900 respectively, but the pair have never met in a competitive fixture. The clubs are now set to remedy that omission at the end of March in the Champions League quarter-finals, and although it will be their first meeting, there are in fact stronger links connecting OM and FCB than a glance at the European footballing records would suggest.
One of the links between the clubs will be personally attempting to help Bayern prevail over the side from southern France on 28 March and 3 April: Franck Ribéry wore the blue and white of Marseille from 2005 until 2007 prior to joining Munich. FCB centre back Daniel van Buyten is another OM old boy, as the Belgian played at Stade Velodrome in the Mediterranean port city from 2001 until 2003.
Then there is Franz Beckenbauer, fondly known as Le Kaiser in Marseille from a spell as head coach and then director of sport in the 1990/91 campaign. The Bayern honorary president helped Olympique reach the European Cup final, although they fell 5-3 on penalties to Red Star Belgrade.