Barton may make debut at Marseille in Istanbul

MARSEILLE - Agence France-Presse

Marseille’s combative midfielder Barton is currently serving a 12-match ban.

Controversial English midfielder Joey Barton could make his Marseille debut in the Europa League match against Fenerbahçe next week, the French club’s assistant coach Franck Passi said yesterday.

Barton is currently serving a 12-match ban after being found guilty of two charges of violent conduct while playing for English Premier League club Queens Park Rangers in the 3-2 defeat to Manchester City on the last day of last season.

And Barton, on a year loan from QPR to the Mediterranean club, will sit out nine Ligue 1 or League Cup matches in France, in accordance with FIFA transfer rules.

But he is eligible to play in Europe and assistant coach Passi said: “He’s spent two months without training normally.

“Physically, he’ll need a little more time but it’s possible that he takes part in the Europa League match” away to Fenerbahçe on Sept. 20.

Passi added: “He’s a technically very sound player, he participates a lot and he’s trying to integrate himself to the very full in our football culture.”

Fenerbahçe will host the game at the Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium. Borussia Mönchengladbach of Germany and Greek Cypriot AEL Limassol are the other teams in the group.