Group A/Liverpool v Marseille:History suggests there is no way back for a player who falls from grace with Rafael Benitez and the consequences of crossing the Liverpool manager should be apparent to Peter Crouch at Anfield tonight in the shape of the man wearing the number nine jersey for Marseille.
Djibril Cisse's return to Merseyside for the first time since joining the French side last summer after a loan period at the Stade Velodrome, along with his former Anfield team-mate Boudewijn Zenden, illustrates not only the professionalism of Benitez, who has introduced new signals for his team at set pieces to confuse their former colleagues, but his ruthlessness too.
Though hindered in his Anfield career by a horrendous double leg fracture at Blackburn, from which he recovered to feature in Liverpool's Champions League and FA Cup triumphs under Benitez, it is fair to say Cisse was never one of the Spaniard's trusted charges. The French international arrived at Liverpool in the same close season as Benitez, but only as the delayed product of a £14 million transfer from Auxerre agreed by the former manager, Gerard Houllier, the previous summer. Benitez had no hesitation in accepting Marseille's offer for the 26-year-old.
The manager frequently played Cisse on the wing or not at all and the player's difficulties in accepting rotation - that chestnut - led to frustration being aired in public and private.
Benitez now finds himself in a similar situation with Crouch, who was omitted from the squad for the fourth time in seven Premier League matches at Wigan and has also struggled to handle a bit-part role.
Ultimately it will take one man to change for the England international to rediscover the form that made him Liverpool's leading scorer last season and to prevent a parting of the ways. That man will not be Benitez.
"At Wigan (Yossi) Benayoun showed if you work hard and you are ready then you will get your chance, and I think Crouch is learning," said the Liverpool manager, who has been irked by reports of the striker's disappointment. "In a top side players must prove they have character, quality and a very good mentality. That is a winning mentality to fight for your position and to show you are good enough on the pitch. If you are not ready you cannot say it was because you have not been playing. I don't want excuses."
Eric Gerets' appointment as Marseille's manager and a fixtureless weekend has disturbed Benitez's analysis of the opponents. However, mindful of Crouch's outstanding performance and two goals against Gerets' Galatasaray in last season's group phase, the manager is considering a place for the £7 million forward.
"I know he is frustrated because players want to play every game," said Benitez, who is without the suspended Jermaine Pennant due to his dismissal against Porto. "But he has been training really well and he must be ready. I think he knows."
Sami Hyypia will continue to deputise at the heart of defence in the absence of Daniel Agger, who has a broken metatarsal.
