David Beckham out of PSG squad for Valencia tie

David Beckham has not been included in Carlo Ancelotti’s Paris St Germain squad for tonight’s Champions League last-16 first leg against Valencia.

David Beckham has not been included in Carlo Ancelotti’s Paris St Germain squad for tonight’s Champions League last-16 first leg against Valencia.

DAVID Beckham has not been included in Carlo Ancelotti’s Paris St Germain squad for tonight’s Champions League last-16 first leg against Valencia.

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Beckham, who joined PSG on a five-month deal on transfer deadline day, will travel to Mestalla to watch his new team but is not expected to feature for the Ligue 1 title challengers ahead of their domestic clash with Marseille in two weeks. However, Ancelotti will have some decisions to make as he will be without injured centre-back Thiago Silva and midfielder Thiago Motta for the clash.

Silva is still ruled out with a left thigh problem he suffered last month, while Motta is not deemed to be match fit after recovering from a thigh injury of his own.

PSG’s preparation for the game comes as Ancelotti has faced questions surrounding his future at the Parc des Princes.

The 53-year-old was appointed manager on December 30, 2011, when he replaced Antoine Kombouare and guided the club to second in Ligue 1, three points behind champions Montpellier. This season PSG are top of the league, six points ahead of nearest challengers Lyon, after a run of eight wins and a draw in their last nine games, including a 3-1 victory over Bastia last time out. Despite this, the Italian is still uncertain whether he will be at the club next season. He told L’Equipe: “Depending on where we finish, I have an extra year on my contract if, at the end of the season, PSG are in the top three of Ligue 1 and we qualify for the Champions League. I want to stay. But I know that at the end of the season, the club will decide if they are happy or not with my work. We will take stock at the end of the season, and if the club are happy, and me too, we will continue.”

Valencia coach Ernesto Valverde has no major injury worries ahead of the match, with Joao Pereira, Victor Ruiz and Diego Alves looking set to return to the starting line-up after being named on the bench in last weekend’s 1-0 Primera Division win over Celta Vigo.

Valencia defender Aly Cissokho, who spent three years at French side Lyon, knows from experience to expect a hard-fought match against PSG. Cissokho said: “I have played several times at the Parc des Princes. Paris is a big team, which has gone into another dimension. They have talent on each part of the pitch, especially offensively with Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Ezequiel Lavezzi or Lucas Moura.

“We will need our fans because it will not be an easy match. We must win at home to be calm before the return leg.”