Mendes could make Marseille league debut
Reuters - Friday 19 October 2012, 13:11
Round-up of Ligue 1 news ahead of the weekend's games:
Brazilian Lucas Mendes, fully recovered from a thigh injury which delayed his league debut for leaders Olympique Marseille, could play at bottom club Troyes on Sunday in place of defender Jeremy Morel who has a back injury.
"I'm 100 percent now and I can play without any problem," Mendes told the club website, adding that he was busy learning French to improve communication with his team-mates after signing for the club in late August.
Valenciennes captain Rudy Mater will be out for three weeks after a scan revealed a small muscle tear in his calf following a knock in training, coach Daniel Sanchez told French media.
Mater's fellow defender Loris Nery will also miss Saturday's match against FC Lorient with a calf injury, sustained last week.
Hosts Valenciennes are eighth in the league, with 12 points, two behind Lorient in fourth.
Stade Rennes coach Frederic Antonetti has dropped defender Chris Mavinga and midfielder Yann M'Vila from the first team after the pair had an unauthorised outing to a Paris nightclub last weekend between two under-21 European championship qualifying games against Norway.
"Stade Rennes can no longer tolerate irresponsible behaviour by certain players," the club said in a statement on Friday, adding that the pair would train with the development squad.
Rennes host champions Montpellier on Saturday.
Stade Brest will be without forward Alexandre Alphonse for the trip to Olympique Lyon on Sunday after he underwent Achilles tendon surgery last week, the club said on their website.
Olympique Lyon playmaker Yoann Gourcuff could be back in the side by the end of October, two months after injuring his left knee in a league game, coach Remi Garde told L'Equipe on Friday.
Lyon are third, with 15 points, while Brest are five points behind in 12th place.