Nnadi refuses surgery and bets on quick return to OM despite severe knee injury

Tochukwu Nnadi has chosen not to undergo surgery despite a serious ligament injury to his right knee, sustained during OM’s defeat in Monaco (0-2) on Sunday. The Nigerian midfielder hopes to be available after the international break, opting for conservative treatment deemed particularly risky by the medical staff.

Injured with a quarter hour remaining after coming on at half-time, Nnadi left the Louis-II stadium with a heavy bandage around his knee. Tests conducted in Marseille confirmed the severity of the diagnosis: extremely serious injury, with initial fears of a torn anterior cruciate ligament and the prospect of missing most of the season if immediate surgery were performed.

That is precisely the scenario the player refused. “Many advised him to have surgery immediately. It was probably the safest option, but it also meant being away from the pitch for several months. We made a different decision,” his agent Timur Daguev explained to La Provence.

The sporting context weighs heavily in this choice. Quinten Timber’s departure to Crystal Palace left a void in Marseille’s midfield, and Nnadi sees this window as an opportunity to establish himself permanently under Bruno Genesio, who has shown confidence in him since his arrival at the club. “He cannot abandon the club at such a moment. He cannot remain a spectator when he knows he can still fight and help his teammates, the coach and the supporters during this difficult period,” his adviser continued.

Nnadi’s entourage does not downplay the dangers of this decision. “We are aware of the risks. We know it will not be easy. We know there could be pain. But it is Nnadi’s decision,” Daguev insisted. Nnadi’s injury is compounded by Geoffrey Kondogbia’s muscular setback, which occurred during the same match, further straining OM’s medical room after the defeat in the Principality.