Atletico keeper calls for calm in Marseille

Atletico Madrid goalkeeper Gregory Coupet has attempted to calm the rising tension ahead of their Champions League trip to Marseille next week, emphasising it is just a football match.

Authorities are set to be on high alert for the December 9 match at the Stade Velodrome following incidents in the previous meeting between the two sides in Spain in October.

During that match there were confrontations between Marseille fans and local police, and one visiting supporter is still detained in Spain and facing a possible eight-year prison sentence.

Atletico president Enrique Cerezo this weekend advised his club's supporters not to travel to France, and since then the Rojiblancos have received insulting and threatening emails, including death threats, from people who are believed to be fans of Marseille.

The death threats warned of eight Atletico followers being killed - one for every year of the sentence facing the Marseille fan in custody.

France international Coupet, who joined Atletico this summer after 16 years in his homeland playing for St Etienne and Lyon, preferred not to discuss what might happen off the pitch though and sought to turn the focus back on to the match itself.

Atletico have already guaranteed their place in the next phase of the Champions League but are battling with Liverpool for top spot, while Marseille and PSV Eindhoven, who are both locked on three points, are looking to get into the UEFA Cup.

"The match is important for both teams. Atletico Madrid and Marseille will both try to win the game," he said.

"I'm sure the two sets of fans will be calm. It is a difficult situation, but on the pitch there are only 22 players. We must not forget it is only football.

"It`s another match and I hope nothing happens. We in the dressing room do not usually talk about this subject, we have to focus on the game, and only on this."

With regards to the Marseille supporters and the fan still in custody, Coupet added: "They have some very `heated` supporters and I'm sure that they will be a little more fired up, but we hope nothing happens. The security personnel are there for this.

"I don't know who is responsible for detaining the Marseille fan, but I can`t say anything about this, that`s what the law is for. I`ve been told me it could be an eight-year punishment, which I think is excessive but I don't know the facts.

"I`m not up-to-date on it and I don't want to say anything about this matter."