Barthez to leave Marseille at the end of season

PARIS, May 13: France goalkeeper Fabien Barthez will leave Olympique Marseille at the end of the season, club chairman Pape Diouf said today.

''Fabien will leave at the end of the season. He confirmed to us he was leaving for personal reasons, which have nothing to do with money, the sport or relationships with others at the club,'' Diouf was quoted as saying by French sports daily L'Equipe.

Diouf said Cedric Carasso, who deputised for Barthez when he was handed a five-month suspension last season for spitting at a referee in a friendly against Wydad Casablanca, would take over as Marseille's number one. ''It's logical,'' he said.

Barthez will play his last game for the Provence side today at second-placed Girondins Bordeaux, where they have not won since 1977. Fourth-placed Marseille are battling with Lille for the last Champions League qualifying place.

REUTERS