Wednesday 14th October 2009
Madrid welcome back Diarra
The French Football Federation (FFF) have granted a request from Real Madrid to allow Lassana Diarra to return to his club.
Diarra is unavailable for France's last World Cup qualifier against Austria on Wednesday night as he is serving a one-match suspension, and although an initial request from the player and the club was rejected it now appears that the player will return to Madrid on Wednesday - 24 hours ahead of his scheduled return.
The final Group 7 qualifier has little significance, as France have already guaranteed themselves a play-off place, whilst the Austrians will finish the group in third irrespective of the eventual outcome.
Diarra's return to the Spanish capital will give him an extra day to train with his Madrid team-mates, ahead of Saturday's Primera Division fixture against Real Valladolid at the Bernabeu.
His return will be a welcomed one for coach Manuel Pellegrini, who is likely to be without the services of six key players for the game as Cristiano Ronaldo, Alvaro Arbeloa, Fernando Gago, Christoph Metzelder, Guti and Ruud van Nistelrooy are all nursing injuries.
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