OL are facing a double whammy before their match against Crystal Palace: the injury of a key player and the loss of another. Argentine left back Nicolas Tagliafico, who had just returned from national duty, was injured in Argentina's last match and is expected to be out for around three weeks. This news comes in addition to the rupture of the cruciate ligament of Mohamed Ouedraogo, already absent for several weeks, and considerably reduces coach PauloFonseca's options for the left lane.
Tagliafico was unable to participate in collective training on Wednesday morning, and Fonseca confirmed the situation at a press conference. According to the Portuguese technician, the muscle injury suffered during the international match will make the player unavailable for three weeks. This information was also relayed by the Olympique & Lyonnais website. Tagliafico's lack of availability is all the more critical as OL already have a shortage at left back, after Ouedraogo's ligament rupture.
In this context, Abner, the Brazilian full-back, becomes the only natural solution immediately available. Fonseca will, however, need to carefully manage the Brazilian's efforts in the coming weeks, as the player is an important part of Lyon's defense, bringing experience and aggression. The Argentine world champion had already highlighted his role in the defensive structure of the team and the many changes he experienced on the bench.
A backup alternative exists: midfielder MoussaNiakhaté must return to the squad for the match against Crystal Palace. Niakhaté could allow RubenKluivert to occasionally slide down the left side. Although the Dutchman is not a trained full-back, he showed last season that he could play in this register. Fonseca could therefore reorganize the defense according to the needs of the moment and the profile of the opponent, even if this solution remains less natural than the use of Abner.
In the short term, the absence of Tagliafico forces the staff to rethink their rotations. Between European meetings and national deadlines, the room for maneuver has been considerably reduced for a position which nevertheless seemed well filled. The match against Crystal Palace will be the first test for this revamped defense. If the return of Niakhaté proves beneficial, OL will nevertheless have to avoid a new problem on the left while waiting for the recovery of their Argentinian international.