PARIS -- Paris Saint-Germain will be without five senior players when they host Lille in the Coupe de la Ligue round of 16 on Wednesday.
Right-back Serge Aurier, left-back Layvin Kurzawa, attacker Hatem Ben Arfa and midfielders Javier Pastore and Adrien Rabiot have all been omitted from Unai Emery's 19-man squad for the Parc des Princes clash because of fitness-related issues.
Ben Arfa ruled himself out of the match on Tuesday when he posted a message on his Instagram page that explained he has taken a blow to the side and would not be fit enough to feature against Patrick Collot's improving side.
Kurzawa has been battling with a groin issue for some time and may well need surgery to ultimately rid himself of the problem, while Pastore (knee) and Rabiot (thigh) have both been out for a while now with their respective injuries.
Aurier has been rested, possibly to minimise the risk of injury with African Nations Cup duty with the Ivory Coast coming up early next year.
To compensate for those losses, Emery has moved young midfielders Lorenzo Callegari and Christopher Nkunku, as well as wide man Nanitamo Jonathan Ikone, to his squad from the youth academy.
Remy Descamps, Alec Georgen and Hervin Ongenda have been left to work with the CFA squad.