Injured Ajax pair miss Marseille meetings

AFC Ajax will be without defender Jan Vertonghen for both legs of their UEFA Cup Round of 16 tie with Olympique de Marseille, while midfielder Gabri will also be absent for the first-leg trip to France on 12 March.

Hamstring horror
Vertonghen, 21, sustained a hamstring injury in last Sunday's 2-0 Eredivisie win against FC Utrecht. An MRI scan on Wednesday revealed a tear in the left hamstring muscle, which will sideline him for up to six weeks. As a result, Vertonghen will be absent for both games against Marseille on 12 and 18 March and is also likely to miss Belgium's 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification matches against Bosnia-Herzegovina on 28 March and 1 April.

Gabri absence
Ajax's Spanish midfielder Gabri is also out of the first leg against Marseille after suffering a torn calf muscle in last week's 1-1 draw with ACF Fiorentina, which took his side through 2-1 on aggregate. The 30-year-old will be out for at least two weeks, making him a doubt for the second leg.