Olympique de Marseille face mounting injury crisis

Olympique de Marseille will return from the international break with a depleted squad and little room for manoeuvre. The club were unable to recruit during the summer, and the latest injuries have turned a difficult opening under Bruno Genesio into a wider concern.

Marseille sit 13th in Ligue 1 after four matches and have lost their last three. Their latest setback came with Algeria, where Himad Abdelli was forced off shortly before half-time in the 2-2 draw with Burundi in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. The midfielder, who suffered a heavy challenge and landed awkwardly on his left ankle, later appeared on crutches. Further tests are needed, although ligament damage has been reported as a possibility and his absence could last several weeks.

Abdelli joins a growing list of Marseille players affected during the international window. Amine Gouiri returned early from Algeria after sustaining a left quadriceps injury against Zambia. Canada defender Derek Cornelius suffered a serious hip problem in training, with a recovery period that could extend for almost three months, while Tadjidine Mmadi was injured with France Under-20s against Germany.

Nayef Aguerd was rested by Morocco, while Pierre-Emile Højbjerg completed 180 minutes for Denmark without an injury being reported. Marseille had hoped the break would help restore momentum, but instead Genesio faces the league restart with fewer available options.