Demel sidelined because of a thigh strain

Guy Demel has been ruled out of Hamburger SV’s UEFA Cup quarter-final first leg against Manchester City FC on Thursday because of a thigh strain.

Coach Martin Jol announced the news on Friday, a little more than a month after the 27-year-old suffered a similar injury which sidelined him for three weeks. The Ivory Coast defender tore fibres in his left thigh during a Bundesliga match against VfL Wolfsburg on 1 March but returned 21 days later for the 2-1 win at FC Schalke 04. Demel, who has been capped 15 times by the Ivory Coast, has made six appearances in the UEFA Cup this term.