Kondogbia and Nnadi absent, OM faces Classique with depleted midfield

Olympique de Marseille will take on the Classique on September 20 with a seriously weakened midfield. Geoffrey Kondogbia, undergoing rehabilitation, and Tochukwu Nnadi, not yet fit, will not be available before the end-of-September international break, confirmed manager Bruno Genesio on Thursday at his press conference.

The context is already concerning for the Phocaeans: two defeats in three Ligue 1 matches, at Monaco and then against Paris FC, have hampered a season start marked by an off-season without significant recruitment. Before hosting PSG at the Vélodrome, OM must first travel to Rennes this Friday, with no improvement expected in the midfield situation.

Genesio was cautious about return timelines. “Kondogbia is doing better, even better than expected, but it will still take several weeks,” he said, mentioning a possible return “before the break or after the break.” Regarding Nnadi, the verdict is clearer: “He won’t be fit for the Rennes match, and there’s little chance he will be before the international break.”

In the meantime, the midfield rests on Pierre-Emile Höjbjerg, Himad Abeilli and young Nouhoum Kamissoko, the only available alternatives in an area where the lack of bench depth is evident.

Beyond the absences, Genesio acknowledged a collective physical deficit. “Not all players are at the same level. Some have been injured and need to regain rhythm. Others played in the World Cup and came back a bit later,” he explained, adding that adapting to his training method takes time. “We need to make adjustments progressively to bring players where we want them, while knowing we need results.”

The equation is tight: building a team over time while collecting points against top-tier opponents, with a squad reduced to its bare minimum.