Olympique de Marseille will host **Lille** this Friday in the opening match of the 23rd round of **Ligue 1**, with coach **Michel** providing an update on his squad ahead of the clash.
Marseille will be without key playmaker **Lassana Diarra**, who continues to recover from adductor pain. Diarra, who missed last weekend’s trip to Lyon, is expected to remain sidelined for another ten to fifteen days. “No week without bad news,” Michel admitted. “Lassana played for a while with problems and forced himself in Toulouse. Because of that, he had to stop.”
Despite Diarra’s absence, Marseille can welcome back **Abdelaziz Barrada**, who missed the Lyon match due to a thigh injury. “Barrada trained yesterday, he is available for the match if we want him,” Michel confirmed at a press conference. The Atlas Lion has been a regular starter this season, featuring 13 times in Ligue 1 and contributing one goal and six assists.
For the Lille fixture, Michel is expected to continue fielding **Alaixys Romao** and **Mauricio Isla** as a defensive midfield duo, a setup that proved effective against Lyon. The combination of experience and returning fitness could prove pivotal as Marseille seeks to climb the Ligue 1 table.
With Lille presenting a tough test, the French side will look to make the most of Barrada’s return while coping with the absence of Diarra in midfield.
