As the October international break comes to a close, it’s time to assess the injury status of players ahead of the 8th round of Ligue 1 McDonald’s.
Paris Saint-Germain has faced a wave of injuries since early September but has used the international break effectively to regain some key players. Georgian international Kvicha Kvaratskhelia has returned to training, alongside Désiré Doué, who has been sidelined for over a month. Although Bradley Barcola missed his chance with the French national team, he has been called up by Luis Enrique for the upcoming match against Strasbourg. Meanwhile, the midfield remains without Fabian Ruiz and Joao Neves, although Senny Mayulu, who was initially uncertain, is fit and available.
For PSG, key players Ousmane Dembélé and Marquinhos are set to miss another match. The 2025 Ballon d’Or winner is progressing but is not yet ready to return to competitive play. On the opposing side, Strasbourg will be without Emanuel Emegha and Mamadou Sarr, who are still recovering from injuries, although Sebastian Nanasi has returned from his shoulder issues.
In Lens, Deiver Machado has resumed training following a knee injury sustained in late August but will not be available to face Paris FC just yet. This situation could see Matthieu Udol return to the three-man defense when Machado is back at full strength.
Monaco is grappling with injuries, as Aleksandr Golovin and Aladji Bamba have returned to training, marking the start of Sébastien Pocognoli’s tenure at AS Monaco. Nevertheless, seven players remain sidelined, including Lukas Hradecky, Denis Zakaria, and Lamine Camara. Recent setbacks include Paul Pogba, who is experiencing thigh issues and must delay his debut in Ligue 1 McDonald’s. Eric Dier has also sustained a muscle injury in training, which could sideline him for two to four weeks.
At Olympique de Marseille, the medical team’s workload has lightened, with only Facundo Medina out long-term. Hamed Junior Traoré and Geoffrey Kondogbia are working towards match fitness but will not be included in the squad this weekend. The club has decided to rest Amine Gouiri after he sustained a shoulder injury while playing for Algeria.
Rennes will be without Przemyslaw Frankowski and Glen Kamara, as the latter returned injured from the Polish national team. There are positive expectations for his availability for the next game against Nice. Lyon’s Rémy Descamps, Ernest Nuamah, and Orel Mangala remain injured with Abner Vinicius being a doubt.
Brest has uncertainties with offensive players, including Romain Del Castillo and Rémy Labeau Lascary, who are nearing a return. Unfortunately, news from OGC Nice is less optimistic, as Terem Moffi is expected to miss several weeks due to a calf injury sustained in training. Juma Bah is anticipated to be available after playing two 90-minute matches for Sierra Leone. Moïse Bombito, who fractured his tibia against Monaco, is facing a lengthy absence of 4 to 5 months, while Dante has trained all week and is expected to be back.
In Nantes, Johann Lepenant faces a more severe injury than initially thought, with a tibial fissure potentially keeping him out until the November break. Francis Coquelin and Mayckel Lahdo are also absent, although young talent Tylel Tati has participated in training and should be fit. Up north, Alexsandro is still out, and two more players, Ngal’ayel Mukau and Nabil Bentaleb, have returned from international duty with injuries.
As teams prepare for the upcoming matches, the return of several players comes as a silver lining amidst the challenges of injury management in the league.