Gouiri exits with thigh injury, another blow for crisis-hit OM

Amine Gouiri left the pitch limping in the 18th minute of the Algeria-Zambia match (3-1), Friday, in 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying, after suffering a left quadriceps injury. The early exit has plunged Olympique de Marseille into alarm during the international break.

Algerian manager Brahim Hemdani, a former OM player, confirmed the nature of the injury at a press conference without specifying its severity. “We are on alert,” he said. “We will wait until tomorrow to make a statement. He has discomfort in his left quadriceps.” No timeframe for his unavailability had been communicated at the time of his remarks.

The news comes at the worst possible moment for Bruno Genesio. The Marseille coach had already learned on the same day that Canadian defender Derek Cornelius suffered an injury during training with his national team, with the club facing “a significant period of unavailability” according to the club.

Gouiri is one of the rare bright spots in Marseille’s start to the season. A key attacking asset alongside Igor Paixao, he represents an option the club can ill afford to lose. The club sits in second-to-last place in Ligue 1 with just three points after five consecutive defeats across all competitions. Should he be sidelined for an extended period, attacking alternatives would be limited to Neal Maupay and Faris Moumbagna.

The true extent of the injury was to be clarified in the hours following the match, after standard medical examinations.