Premiere for Hadji

The final recruit of Rennes’ summer transfer window, Youssouf Hadji, could sign his return with the “Rouge et Noir” shirt this Saturday night at the Stade Vélodrome. The Morrocan international will experience his first trip with his new team-mates this week-end, and he will bring an additional competition within an already solid attacking line including Boukari, Kembo, Montaño and Pitroipa.
In terms of number, Hadji replaces Georges Mandjeck who appeared during Rennes’ latest game against Caen and should be playing with the Reserve in CFA2 this time. The Cameroonese has indeed been left out of the squad and he joins Tongo Hamed Doumbia, also left out since a few weeks with minor knee issues.
Else, no real surprise, since the absence of Yacine Brahimi, suffering with a painful fibula, has been confirmed. Youngster Dimitri Foulquier is banned for three games after he received a red card during the Reserve’s last game.

Meanwhile, the Olympique de Marseille will have to do without three key members of its team. In defence, the foot injury of Stéphane Mbia and the three ban match inflicted to former Monaco man Nkoulou should push Didier Deschamps to field a centre-back pair composed of Rod Fanni and Souleymane Diawara, with Azpilicueta starting at right back and Morel on the left.
Also, the Marseille manager is confronted to the absence of Ghanaian forward André Ayew, who suffers with an adductors injury. However, he will be able to rely on André-Pierre Gignac, expected to leave Marseille in the final hours of the transfer window but finally remained in Provence.

Stade rennais FC

- Goalkeepers : Costil, Diallo
- Defenders : Boye, Danzé, Kana-Biyik, Mangane, Mavinga, Théophile-Catherine
- Midfielders : Dalmat, Féret, M’Vila, Pajot, Tettey
- Forwards : Boukari, Hadji, Kembo, Montaño, Pitroipa

• Injured : Apam (Knee), Brahimi (fibula)
• Suspended : Foulquier
• Manager’s decision: N’Diaye, Kandji, Jebbour, Doucouré, Doumbia, Issah, Mandjeck, Rouger, Diarra, Sané, Sissoko

Olympique de Marseille

- Goalkeepers : Bracigliano, Mandanda
- Defenders : Azpilicueta, Diawara, Fanni, Morel, Sabo, Traoré
- Midfielders : Amalfitano, Cheyrou, Diarra, Kaboré, Lucho, Valbuena
- Forward : J. Ayew, Gadi, Gignac, Rémy

• Injured : Mbia (foot), A. Ayew (adductors)
• Suspended : Nkoulou
• Manager’s decision: Andrade, D’Ulivo, Rodriguez, Omrani

- Photo : srfc.frenchwill.fr