The injured Loïs Openda, on loan from Juventus, will be absent from OL until the international break in November after a contusion to his right calf suffered during the trip to Lens. Recent statistics confirm that the Belgian player is receiving particularly harsh treatment this season, with 13 fouls handed out in five appearances, or one whistle approximately every 30 minutes. This frequency places him sixth among the players most penalized by opposing defenders in Ligue1, and no other center forward in the championship suffers as many fouls.
According to data released by Olympique & Lyonnais, the only offensive player to surpass Openda in fouls is Strasbourg's Yassine Gessime, who received 18 fouls. The Lyon striker was also put to the test during the match at Bollaert, where he was injured after a duel with Ismaëlo Ganiou. Medical examinations confirmed that he will not be able to play before mid-November, which represents a significant loss for OL as he began to establish himself in the attack.
This case is part of a more general trend for OL, which is the third Ligue1 team to cause the most fouls since the start of the season, with 79 infractions, at the same level as Le Havre. Conversely, the Lyonnais are only ninth among the teams conceding the most fouls, with 71 infractions. This situation suggests that Lyon players may have to intensify their duels to respond to the physical challenge posed by their opponents without necessarily toughening up their game.
Openda's absence comes at a critical time for OL, as the player is capable of attacking from deep and mobilizing defenses with his calls. The club hopes to get him back after the November break, but until then its staff will have to look for other offensive solutions to compensate for this loss. The next competitions, both in Ligue1 and the Coupe de France, are already shaping up to be a busy period where managing this absence will be crucial to maintaining the competitiveness of the team.