Four injured in one break: OM holds its breath before the restart

Himad Abdelli was substituted due to injury during Algeria’s 2-2 draw against Burundi on Tuesday in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, bringing to four the number of Marseille players injured during a single international break. The midfielder left the pitch limping, supported by the Algerian medical staff, and was seen on crutches after the match.

Victim of a tackle and a bad fall just before half-time, Abdelli is awaiting further tests to determine the exact nature of his injury. According to Argentine media, the ligaments of his left ankle are affected, and his absence could be counted in weeks.

Abdelli’s case is part of a string of misfortunes hitting OM since the start of the break. A few days earlier, Amine Gouiri also left the Algerian gathering prematurely, suffering a quadriceps injury during the match against Zambia. In defence, Derek Cornelius was injured at the hip during training with Canada: his absence could stretch until 2027, roughly three months of unavailability. Young Tadjidine Mmadi was also forced to withdraw from the French U20s after a physical problem against Germany.

Only Nayef Aguerd, rested by Morocco, and Pierre-Emile Højbjerg, who played 180 minutes with Denmark, appear to have come through the break unscathed. For Bruno Genesio and his staff, the toll is severe: instead of approaching the Ligue 1 restart with a refreshed squad, OM is counting its injured and measuring the extent of the damage.

The situation is all the more concerning as the club had already experienced a difficult start to the season, without significant summer recruitment and with several defeats on the record. The break, meant to offer a welcome respite, has ultimately worsened the staffing problems of the Marseille management.