Eto'o wants to end career in Marseille

(GETTY IMAGES)

Barcelona striker Samuel Eto'o hopes to end his career playing for French club Marseille.

The Cameroon forward, who has been in sparkling form for Barca this season, was asked in an interview with sports daily L'Equipe whether he would like to play in the French league.

"Yes, why not? I dream of playing at Marseille one day," Eto'o was quoted as saying today. "For me, France is like Cameroon. So at the end of my career, when my body tells me to stop, I might play one last season in France."

Eto'o has scored 13 goals in 11 games in the Spanish league this season, including four in the first half of Barcelona's 6-0 win over Valladolid this month.

He said the team is more disciplined under new coach Pep Guardiola than it was under Frank Rijkaard, and that Barca is reaping the benefits of the new approach.

However, he dismissed speculation that Guardiola surprises players with late-night phone calls to check they are at home, and not out enjoying the Catalan city's reputed nightlife.

"There are no midnight phone calls. We have children and we are adults. But fines are important. In a team like Barcelona, it's small things that keep the group together," the 27-year-old Eto'o said. "When you don't eat with your teammates at lunchtime after training, it's normal to remind people that's not right."

Eto'o also expressed an interest in playing alongside Lyon forward Karim Benzema, who hinted Saturday that he could leave the French league at the end of the season.

Barcelona is among several clubs reportedly interested in signing the 20-year France international, who scored his league-leading ninth goal of the season with a clinical strike against Bordeaux on Sunday.

"Barcelona is the greatest club in the world. And the greatest club in the world needs the greatest players in the world," Eto'o said. "Benzema is among those."