Facundo Medina will start against his former club when Bayer Leverkusen take on Olympique de Marseille in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday night.

The Argentine will start at the heart of the Bundesliga side’s defence alongside captain Edmond Tapsoba. Former Toulouse FC manager Carles Martínez Novell will, however, have to contend with some big absentees. Former RC Strasbourg Alsace defender Guéla Doué is out of this encounter with injury, as are former AS Monaco forward Eliesse Ben Seghir and former Lille OSC and Stade Rennais forward Martin Terrier.

Victor Boniface, meanwhile, has not been included in Bayer Leverkusen’s Europa League squad. Ibrahim Maza, who earlier this week revealed a dream to one day play for Marseille’s arch rivals Paris Saint-Germain, is expected to start on the left of the attack.

Bayer Leverkusen likely line-up v Marseille

Mark Flekken; Miguel Gutiérrez, Facundo Medina, Edmond Tapsoba, Jarell Quansah; Aleix García, Robert Andrich; Ibrahima Maza, Malik Tillman, Jonas Hofmann; Patrik Schick. (L’Éq)