In the first round of the 0-2 defeat away from home, center back Mbemba left the game with red and is suspended for this round. In addition to Mbemba, another center back, Gigot, left last weekend's 2-1 defeat with an injury that will need to be confirmed before the game. With Marseille's other center back Isaac Toure unavailable for the Champions League, Tudor will need to give more thought to the defense tonight. The good news comes from the offensive line though, as Alexis Sanchez, who has scored in back-to-back games in Ligue 1, is back from suspension and is available for tonight's Champions League match. With Payet, Gerson and Ville Toute not starting in the weekend's league, Marseille's lineup is capable of sustaining back-to-back matches.
This side is in some trouble, after a 0-3 defeat against Athletic in the first round of the Champions League and a temperless 0-1 defeat against Wolfsburg in the league, unable to score in two consecutive matches. With left backs Pellegrini and Lenz both unavailable for this game, the Glasnost are likely to switch their formation to a 3 center back tactic, with veteran Makoto Hasebe getting the start. But with Kostic gone, the left wingback is also still up in the air, and it's likely to be youngster Alidou, who was still playing last season and has only 78 minutes of playing time this season, who will start.
The fiery clash with the fans last week has made tonight's game a key focus for the police, after all, Marseille fans got into trouble more than once last season too. Considering the frenetic atmosphere of the home fans, Frankfurt fans traveling with the team will have to be more careful, and the players' performance on the field will be more or less affected by the home atmosphere.
