Meniscus injury for Sulc: Lyon without Czech midfielder for four months

Olympique Lyonnais will be without Pavel Sulc for approximately four months after the club officially announced on Sunday a meniscus injury to the knee of the Czech international. The 25-year-old midfielder, injured during training, will undergo surgery soon and is not expected to play again before early March.

The Rhône club’s statement leaves no doubt about the severity of the diagnosis: “He will undergo surgery soon and should be unavailable for approximately four months. We are with you Pavel.” The news comes at the worst possible time for Paulo Fonseca, whose team has suffered a string of setbacks following the heavy defeat conceded Thursday to Hoffenheim in the Ligue Europa (3-0).

Sulc’s absence will weigh even more heavily as the player had just broken his goal drought in Ligue 1, scoring his first goal of the season last weekend against OGC Nice in the 2-1 victory. His upward trajectory is therefore brutally interrupted.

Lyon enters this difficult period in the provisional leadership position of the championship, with a record of four wins, two draws and one defeat. The first match without Sulc will be the trip to Parc des Princes to face PSG, Monday evening at 8:45 p.m. Fonseca will need to quickly find tactical solutions to compensate for the absence of a player who had established himself as a key member of the squad.