Cisse set for comeback match

Liverpool striker Djibril Cisse is set to make the first senior appearance of his loan spell at Marseille when the French club face Monaco in Ligue 1 tomorrow.

The striker, on loan for the rest of the season, has recovered from the broken leg he sustained playing for France in a World Cup warm-up game at the start of June.

He scored in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Martigues on Tuesday night and, after being given the green light by surgeons yesterday, he has been included in coach Albert Emon’s squad.

Cisse has not played in the French top-flight since leaving Auxerre for England in the summer of 2004, and he could not have timed his return any better.

Marseille are in a slump at present, a run of five defeats in seven games seeing them slip to eighth in the league.

And the pacy frontman is delighted to be back.

“I am very happy,” Cisse told OMTV. “The surgeon has told me the injury can be consigned to the dustbin from now on. Six months without playing has been hard. Now, physically and mentally, I am ready.”

Emon agreed by saying: “He is ready. He can bring us his spirit and his experience to the competition.”