Marseille heads back to Ligue 1 on Sunday night in Troyes, but a wave of injuries has thinned the roster dramatically. The club will line up at 20:45 with fewer options than ever before.
The break has hit the OM hard, even as the league pauses. Since the 1-2 loss to PSG on September 20, the team has hovered near relegation and now faces a shaky atmosphere in Troyes. A string of setbacks during the pause has left key internationals sidelined. While not a guaranteed starter, Canadian Derek Cornelius (28) suffered a serious hip injury in training and will miss three months – a brutal blow for a squad that added no new signings. For my money, the lack of depth will test the club’s resilience.
Only two midfielders are available?
Two days later, Amine Gouiri was forced off early in the Algeria‑Zambia match (3-1) with a thigh complaint. The season’s top scorer for Marseille (four goals) returned home for treatment, and his fitness remains uncertain, though L’Equipe suggests he could feature against Troyes. Doubts also linger over fellow Algerian Himad Abdelli, who hurt his left ankle against Burundi (2-2).
On Sunday, Bruno Genesio was again forced to react when a midfielder left the pitch early. Danish midfielder Pierre‑Emile Hojbjerg was substituted in the 10th minute against Wales (0-1) after feeling the back of his left thigh; the injury’s nature was not disclosed, leaving the OM uneasy in a midfield already plagued by setbacks. Only two midfielders are currently fit: Angel Gomes and youngster Tochukwu Nnadi, who recovered from a meniscus injury suffered at Monaco on August 30 and has returned to training. He featured in the friendly loss to Montpellier (1-0) on Saturday.