13th March, 2012
Inter boss Claudio Ranieri will be without Cristian Chivu, who will serve a one match ban after incurring a third yellow card of the campaign in the 1-0 defeat to the French side three weeks ago in the Champions League.
Joining the 31-year-old on the sidelines is Andrea Ranocchia, whose muscle injury sees him unavailable for the next week at least.
Brazilian right-back Maicon recovered from a knee injury sustained in the first-leg clash at Stade Velodrome to feature in the full 90 minutes of Friday’s 2-0 win over Chievo, and is expected to line-up against his former manager Didier Deschamps this evening.
The Serie A win at Bentegodi represented the Nerazzuri’s first victory in ten games, and they will need to overcome Andre Ayew’s stoppage-time goal if they are to progress to a third consecutive Champions League quarter-final.
Olympique de Marseille welcome back key players Loic Remy and Mathieu Valbuena for the return leg of this last 16 tie. Remy has missed the last three weeks, including the 1-0 win over Ranieri’s men on 22 February, with a hamstring injury, but the pair featured in Friday’s 1-0 defeat to strugglers Ajaccio. Andre-Pierre Gignac and Andre Ayew have both been named in the squad after overcoming groin and shoulder problems respectively.
Alou Diarra is expected to replace Charles Kabore in midfield, with Souleymane Diawara and Jeremy Morel in line for a first-team return after being rested.
Marseille have lost four straight Ligue 1 games since victory over Inter, and are seeking to qualify for the last eight for the first time since winning the inaugural Champions League in 1993.