The Observer:
Enforced absence from the game is torture to any footballer. For Fabien Barthez, the last few months have been, in his own words, 'useless'. Strange months they have been, too. The French goalkeeper has been serving a six-month suspension for spitting at a Moroccan referee, Abdellah El-Achiri, at the end of a friendly match between his club Marseille and Wydad Casablanca. It was one thing being sidelined for a long period at Manchester United because he was frozen out by Fergie, but this time, he had nobody to blame but himself.
Today, Barthez will slide on his gloves, with purpose, for the first time since his liquid contretemps last February. His punishment, which included 10 community service missions in exchange for a reduced sentence, is up. He kept a low profile, making no comment about his duties refereeing kids' games and coaching underprivileged and handicapped players, until the media caught up with him at the end of his final stint last weekend. Had the experience changed him? Barthez looked at the scribes as if they were lunatics.
His ban expired last night, coincidentally on the eve of the Marseille v PSG match, which happens to be the most notorious and spiteful rivalry in France. A nice gentle one to get his eye back in.
For the past six months he has been training like never before. When the squad were ordered to run, Barthez was out at the front. When they played practice matches, he hollered at his team-mates and demanded an intense level of competition.
Anything less would have challenged the managerial goodwill that has put him back in the picture immediately. But Barthez returns to discover the goalkeeping landscape has changed in his absence. Once the undisputed first choice for club and country, he has a genuine fight on his hands for both positions.
Meanwhile, in Marseille, Cedric Carasso has deputised so heroically, the heat on Barthez to avoid a mistake tonight is inescapable. Carrasso was a youngster of considerable promise, but had a waistline that was more Neville Southall than Edwin van der Sar in his early days. After a period on loan at Crystal Palace, and a new diet, he has been outstanding back between the sticks at the Veledrome.The Marseille fans might have stood by Barthez, but they also feel it is unfair to drop Carasso.