Hojbjerg sidelined, Nnadi ready to start: OM seeks crisis exit at Troyes

Five straight defeats, 17th place and a deep crisis of confidence: OM face the trip to Troyes on Sunday for Matchday 6 of Ligue 1 with an obligation to react. Bruno Genesio held his press conference on Friday to take stock of a squad weakened by the international break.

The bad news concerns Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg: the Danish midfielder has a thigh injury and will miss several matches. Derek Cornelius, meanwhile, will be absent for months. On the positive side, Genesio confirmed the return to training of Amine Gouiri, injured during Algeria’s opening match two weeks ago, and Himad Abdelli, who suffered a minor scare with the Fennecs. Both players are available for the trip to the Aube.

Hojbjerg’s absence opens the door for Tochukwu Nnadi. The Nigerian defensive midfielder, signed from Zulte Waregem for 6 million euros last summer, has returned to training after a knee injury sustained during pre-season — without requiring surgery. He had managed only three starts at the end of last season, against Nice, at Nantes and at Le Havre, without ever establishing himself. On Sunday, he could start alongside Abdelli in midfield.

Nnadi’s profile is atypical. Trained in Dubai from the age of 16, he began his professional career in Bulgaria at Botev Plovdiv before moving to Belgium in 2024 and earning his first cap with Nigeria’s Super Eagles. Little used at the last Africa Cup of Nations, he nevertheless received praise from his coach Eric Chelle: “This kid is a treat, you’re going to be surprised because he can be very aggressive on the pitch. He’s very quick, powerful, and capable of winning a lot of balls back from opponents’ feet.”

On his arrival at Marseille, Nnadi was described as a player limited in distribution but tireless in duels, capable of applying intense pressure over about 15 metres. Qualities that could be sorely missed by an OM that has suffered defeats to Monaco (0-2), Paris FC (2-3), Rennes (0-1), PSG (1-2) and Besiktas in the Europa League (1-4). Genesio needs a midfielder who scraps — Nnadi arrives at the right moment.