Ayew absent from Marseille training on Thursday

Ghana deputy captain Andre Ayew has rejoined Olympique Marseille but was not present at the club’s training grounds on Thursday as they prepare to face Paris Saint-Germain in the Ligue 1’s top-liner.

Seventeen players, including Steve Mandanda, Andre-Pierre Gignac and Dimitri Payet trained under the instructions of head coach Marcelo Bielsa at Marseille’s Robert Louis-Dreyfus training grounds as they stepped up training to face Ligue 1 title competitors PSG on Sunday at the Stade Velodrome.

Andre, who captained Ghana’s Black Stars in the international friendly double-header against Senegal and Mali, made a short trip from Paris to Marseille on Wednesday.

But manager Bielsa agreed to allow the Newcastle United transfer target stay out of training on Thursday to get him fully prepared for the crucial tie on Sunday night.

Marseille are seeking revenge against PSG who defeated them 2-0 at the Parc des Princes in their last clash last November.

Andre will particularly take a keen interest in the game as Marseille are without a win or a draw against PSG since November 2011. PSG have won all eight last clashes between the two sides.

Andre scored in Marseille’s last win over PSG which came in a 3-0 trouncing at the Stade Velodrome in a Ligue 1 game.