Marseille face Lille without Ayew brothers
Reuters - Thursday 12 January 2012, 01:59
Life without brothers Andre
and Jordan Ayew began well for Olympique Marseille this week and
the side must keep up the momentum when they play Ligue 1
champions Lille on Sunday.
Marseille, who have narrowed the gap with the leaders after
a mediocre start to the season, swept past Caen 3-0 in a League
Cup quarter-final this week with Mathieu Valbuena and Loic Remy
more than compensating for the Ayews' departure for the Africa Cup of
Nations.
The Ghana forwards are travelling to Equatorial Guinea and
Gabon for the January 21-February 12 Cup and Brazilian striker Brandao
has rejoined Marseille to help out after spending time on loan
at two Brazilian clubs.
Coach Didier Deschamps said Brandao could be included in the
squad to face Lille, but warned that they would be much tougher
opponents than Caen.
"On Sunday, the competition will be much stronger,"
Deschamps told the club's website.
Marseille, who have qualified for the Champions League
knockout phase and are on course to win both the League and
French Cups, are sixth in the standings with 31 points from 19
games, nine points behind leaders Paris Saint-Germain.
Lille who are third, four points off the pace, conceded
their first domestic defeat in five months in a 2-1 loss at
Olympique Lyon in a League Cup quarter-final on Wednesday.
PSG, who are signing full-back Maxwell from Barcelona to make
up for Siaka Tiene's departure to the Africa Cup of Nations with
Ivory Coast, take on Toulouse on Saturday hoping to give
coach Carlo Ancelotti a winning debut at the Parc des Princes.
PSG could still be without midfielder Jeremy Menez and
striker Kevin Gameiro, who have not fully recovered from
injuries.
Both missed their team's 2-1 win at fifth-division Locmine
in the French Cup last 64 last weekend.
Second-placed Montpellier, who are three points behind PSG,
entertain fourth-placed Lyon, who have defensive
troubles.
Centre-backs Cris and Dejan Lovren are both injured and are
likely to miss the match.