Five defeats and injury crisis: Di Meco fears OM's trip to Troyes

Five straight defeats, 17th place in Ligue 1 and a squad ravaged by injuries: Olympique de Marseille approach their trip to Troyes in a state of fragility rarely seen this season. The match, which was supposed to offer a kinder fixture list after facing Rennes, Lille, Monaco and PSG, now looks far less reassuring.

The international break, meant to allow players to rest and regroup, has instead made matters worse. Derek Cornelius is sidelined until 2027, Pierre-Emile Højbjerg will be absent for several weeks, and Amine Gouiri remains uncertain for the resumption. A string of setbacks that deprives the coaching staff of precious options at the moment when the team needs them most.

Eric Di Meco, the club’s emblematic former defender, has not held back in expressing his anxiety. “It’s a personal feeling, but when I see this match against Troyes coming up, I’m terrified,” he said. “Everything OM did well against PSG, against Rennes before the break, feels so distant that you forget about it. I only have the negative in my head because we’ve done nothing but lose!”

Di Meco also points to the danger posed by opponents motivated by their fight for survival. “Troyes will have a knife between their teeth,” he warns. “You won’t have all your strength to go there and they will have a knife between their teeth. On top of that, OM is practically obliged to win. If you come away from this match with a draw, I don’t know how we’ll analyse that. So I’m worried.”

Last week, Marseille also suffered a defeat in a friendly against Montpellier, which did nothing to ease the doubts. With just one point separating the two clubs in the standings, the trip to the Aube takes on the appearance of a crucial appointment to prevent the crisis from becoming entrenched.