Marseille manager Michel was appointed last summer. Jean Catuffe/Getty Images

Marseille owner Margarita Louis-Dreyfus has announced that under-pressure manager Michel will remain at the helm until the end of the season.

Dreyfus held a crisis meeting with Michel and club president Vincent Labrune in Zurich on Monday after a 2-1 weekend defeat at Bastia left Marseille only six points above the relegation zone.

On Tuesday night she finally confirmed that the Spanish coach would have her backing to lead the team for the final six league games of the season as well as a Coupe de France semifinal against Ligue 2 side Sochaux on April 20.

"The current situation is delicate and represents a big challenge for all of us," Dreyfus said in a statement.

"As regards the short term, I'm reassured by the professionalism and the willingness of Michel to successfully complete this end of the season, with all his strength and energy."

"I'm convinced that with his qualities as a competitor at the highest level and his great experience, he will allow the players to express themselves fully on the pitch without fear or stress in order to allow them to finish the league honourably and, why not, to win the Coupe de France."

Marseille's hopes of turning the situation around have been a dealt a blow with the news that France midfielder Lassana Diarra will be out for three weeks with a knee injury. The former Real Madrid midfielder, 31, went off in the second half of the Bastia game.

Marseille have not won in Ligue 1 for two months and their last league win at home was in September.

On Sunday they host Bordeaux, the team directly above them in the table.