Most seasons have a defining moment. In France, it came on Sunday night.

After all the pre-game permutations and complications, it now looks rather easy for Arsenal. It certainly was on the night.

Arsenal 2 Marseille 0

Marseille 1 Arsenal 2

Marseille 1 Arsenal 2

Iker Casillas has played down his controversial omission from Real Madrid’s line-up against Malaga, insisting he must accept coach Jose Mourinho’s decision and focus on regaining his starting berth.

France coach Laurent Blanc says Yann M’Vila has returned to fitness following his ankle injury, but said he was unlikely to start tonight’s opener against England.

France 3 Iceland 2

Two first-half goals from Ivica Olic helped Bayern Munich to a routine win over Marseille that booked them a Champions League semi-final berth.

Bayern Munich 2 Marseille 0 (Bayern win 4-0 on aggregate)

Marseille’s decision to field third-choice goalkeeper Elinton Andrade backfired as his mistake gifted Bayern Munich the opening goal in their Champions League quarter-final last night.

Marseille 0 Bayern Munich 2

Franck Ribery cannot wait to take to the pitch at the Stade Velodrome tonight as he makes his first return to his former club Marseille since leaving them for Bayern Munich in 2007.

Conspiracy theorists suspect the Champions League draw is arranged in consultation with UEFA’s marketing department.

A wild finish at the San Siro saw Marseille knock Inter Milan out of the Champions League to reach the quarter-finals and pile even more pressure on the beleaguered Claudio Ranieri.

BOTH Arsene Wenger and Theo Walcott have been at pains to insist this week that Arsenal are not a one-man team but with Robin van Persie left on the bench against Marseille, there was a lack of inspiration as they were held to a disappointing draw at the Emirates.

Arsenal 0 Marseille 0

ARSENAL manager Arsene Wenger has called on his team to forget Saturday’s momentous derby win over Chelsea and focus instead on qualifying for the knockout stages of the Champions League with a win over Marseille tonight.

ARSENAL boss Arsene Wenger admitted last night’s victory over Marseille was one that will boost morale and confidence at the club.

FT: Marseille 0 Arsenal 1

Eric Abidal’s remarkable return to fitness following surgery on a liver tumour was today rewarded with a recall to the France national side.

Patrice Evra and Franck Ribery were today included in the France squad for the first time since the World Cup.

Manchester United 2 Marseille 1 (agg 2-1 )

MANCHESTER UNITED will have no safety net at Old Trafford in three weeks’ time after they ground out a goalless draw in their Champions League last-16 first leg meeting with Marseille at the Stade Velodrome.

Marseille 0 Manchester United 0

CHELSEA can go into Sunday’s crucial Premier League game against Arsenal confident their first wobble of the season is over after easing to a routine 2-0 victory over Marseille in the Champions League last night to stay top of Group F and banish the memory of last weekend’s defeat at Manchester City.

Chelsea 2 Marseille 0

France coach Laurent Blanc today named Everton striker Louis Saha in his 21-man squad and called up Lorient forward Kevin Gameiro for the first time ahead of next month’s Euro 2012 qualifying double header.

France reserve goalkeeper Steve Mandanda insists everyone involved in France’s World Cup failure must accept their punishment from new coach Laurent Blanc.

FIFA have rejected a request from France to call up a new goalkeeper after Cedric Carrasso suffered a thigh muscle injury in training on Monday.

William Gallas has retained his place in a reduced France squad as Raymond Domenech’s side begin their World Cup preparations in earnest in Tignes tomorrow.

LYON against Bayern is a semi-final clash no one expected, and so far it has lived down to expectations.

When two teams share 10 goals in The Match of the Decade you can usually bet that the return game will finish 0-0.

JUVENTUS crashed out of the Champions League with a miserable performance in front of their own fans as they capitulated to a rampant Bayern Munich at the Stadio Olimpico last night.

MAYBE the spirit of Patrick Vieira lives on after all.

Giovanni Trapattoni has challenged his Republic of Ireland players to raise their game another notch if they are to edge past France and into next summer’s World Cup finals in South Africa.

FRANCE defender Bacary Sagna has pointed to his proud record against Robbie Keane at club level as a reason for his side’s confidence going into tomorrow’s World Cup play-off at Croke Park.

FRANCE’S first-choice front man André-Pierre Gignac suffered an injury scare during Toulouse’s 3-2 win against Rennes in Ligue 1 yesterday.

Raymond Domenech today left captain Patrick Vieira out of his France squad to face the Republic of Ireland in their World Cup qualifying play-off this month.

Marseille 6 FC Zurich 1

PORTUGAL defender Ricardo Carvalho believes the carrot of reaching the World Cup finals will force Hungary to come out fighting in their crucial qualifier tonight.

Marseille 1 AC Milan 2

Liverpool 1 Marseille 0

Marseille 3 PSV Eindhoven 0