Deschamps: Brandao return to boost Niang

(GSM) – Olympique Marseille coach Didier Deschamps believes the return of striker Brandao will add to Mamadou Niang credentials as Ligue 1’s top scorer.

The former Shakhtar Donetsk front-man resumed training on Wednesday after being sidelined for three weeks with a hamstring injury.

And he could feature in Sunday’s match when Marseille host Lorient at Stade Velodrome, as Deschamps is looking to pair the Brazilian with Senegalese striker Niang.

“Mamadou has scored 14 goals, 10 of them playing on the left side of attack,” he said on www.ligue1.com.

“I know he likes playing centrally because there are fewer defensive responsibilities but, above all, the two players get along well. Brandao can also play on the left. So it’s not a problem.”

OM, who lie fourth in the table, go into the match on the back of four straight league wins which have taken them to within three points of leaders Bordeaux.

Most recently they won 3-0 away at Paris St Germain in last Sunday’s ‘Classico’.

Hatem Ben Arfa and Benoit Cheyrou both scored in that game and Deschamps was surprised neither featured for France in their midweek friendly defeat to Spain.

He said: “I heard people say that this was one of the last chances to have a look at players before the World Cup but also that it was too risky in this sort of match.

“It was up to the coach to make a decision but I think we can be surprised that Hatem and Benoit didn’t play.”

Marseille will be missing defender Gabriel Heinze, who picked up a leg injury playing for Argentina on Wednesday.

Lorient, who go into the weekend in ninth place, welcome back top-scorer Kevin Gameiro and fellow forward Marama Vahirua from groin and hip injuries respectively.

Vahirua knows the visitors will need to up their game if they are to cause an upset, despite winning 1-0 against Sochaux last time out.

“We’re not playing well at the moment,” he said. “What we’re producing in training and then in matches shows that we’re a team suffering both physically and mentally. I think it’s a result of losing to Bordeaux in the Coupe de la Ligue semi-finals (in mid-February).”

He added: “Marseille are full of confidence. But it’s good for us that everybody thinks they’ll win as it means we have nothing to lose.”

Lorient will be without Sylvain Marchal and Arnaud Le Lan through suspension.

Laurent Koscielny (cut knee), Sebastien Dubarbier (ankle) and Gabriel Penalba (groin) are all doubts.