YNWA takes a look back at our only four previous meetings with Olympique de Marseille, as we prepare for our first Champions League group game on Tuesday. We also revisit our previous trips to France in Europe's premier club competition.

Last season
The reds produced a very lacklustre performance as Mathieu Valbuena grabbed the only goal of the game for the visitors, as Marseille won the first meeting in last season's group stage at Anfield in October 2007. "That could be the worst performance of my time here", Benítez said. "It was very bad, a very bad game."

However, we thumped the French outfit 4-0 in the final match of the group two months later to secure qualification after a miserable run of just one point from our opening three fixtures. Steven Gerrard converted a saved penalty to become the club's all-time top European scorer, scoring in his seventh consecutive game, as we became the first English team to win in the Stade Vélodrome. The other goals came from Dirk Kuyt and Ryan Babel, and a sublime solo effort from Fernando Torres.

Also against L'OM
Milan Baroš struck our goal as we were held to a 1-1 draw at Anfield in the first leg of our UEFA Cup Fourth round tie in March 2004. Didier Drogba netted the equaliser for the French side. We visited the south of France for the return leg a fortnight later, with Igor Bišcan being sent off after Emile Heskey had given us the lead at the Stade Vélodrome. We lost 2-1 on the night after Drogba had converted the resulting penalty.

Other CL visits across the channel
We lost at AS Monaco in the group stage of the Champions League in November 2004, despite Javier Saviola handling before scoring the only goal of the game. Even worse news were the injuries to Luis García and Josemi, who came on as a substitute and was later himself substituted after suffering a horrific clash of heads. This result left us needing a two-goal victory over Olympiacos in our final group game at Anfield.

Peter Crouch headed the only goal of the game as we won at Girondins de Bordeaux in the group stage in October 2006. Ex-red Vladimír Šmicer had to sit out the game through injury. Andriy Voronin struck a spectacular volley in August 2007, his first senior reds strike and the only goal of the first leg of our Champions League qualifier at Toulouse, who became our hundredth different opponents in European competition. Yossi Benayoun made his reds bow in this game, with Steven Gerrard breaking his toe.

First trip to France
We lost 1-0 in March 1977 at Saint-Étienne in the first leg of our European Cup Third Round tie, but of course famously fought back to qualify for the Semi-finals. Dominique Bathenay volleyed the only goal of the game, after Steve Heighway had hit the post at the other end.