Lille’s Europa League campaign suffered a damaging setback in Vigo as defeat to Celta was compounded by a worrying early injury to midfielder Nabil Bentaleb.
LOSC were beaten 2-1 on Thursday night in their seventh group-stage match, but the result quickly became secondary after the Algerian international was forced off inside the opening 10 minutes, casting a shadow over the club’s European ambitions and raising fresh concerns about his physical condition.
The evening could scarcely have started worse for the French side. Lille conceded inside the first minute of play and were still trying to regain their composure when Bentaleb became involved in an aerial challenge with Celta midfielder Williot Swedberg.
The 31-year-old landed heavily on his right shoulder after the duel and immediately showed signs of acute pain.
Medical staff rushed to his aid as Bentaleb clutched his collarbone and struggled to move his arm. After several minutes of treatment on the pitch, it became clear he could not continue.
He was replaced in the ninth minute by fellow Algerian international Aïssa Mandi, leaving Lille to reshuffle their midfield at a critical early stage of the contest.
Television images showed Bentaleb leaving the pitch with difficulty, supported by members of the medical team, a sight that visibly unsettled his teammates.
For head coach Bruno Génésio, who had selected the midfielder from the start, the loss was both tactical and psychological, depriving Lille of an experienced presence at the heart of the team.
The concern surrounding the injury is heightened by Bentaleb’s recent medical history. The former Tottenham and Schalke player only returned to competitive action last year after a prolonged absence of almost nine months, between June 2024 and February 2025, following a serious cardiac incident.
That episode required the implantation of a heart rhythm regulation device, making him the first player in Ligue 1 to compete with such equipment, a situation previously seen in other European leagues with players such as Christian Eriksen and Daley Blind.
While the nature of Thursday’s injury appears unrelated to that episode, Lille will approach the coming days with extreme caution.
Further medical examinations are expected to determine the extent of the damage to Bentaleb’s shoulder or collarbone.
The defeat in Vigo also leaves LOSC under pressure, marking a fourth consecutive loss in all competitions and complicating their European outlook.
Yet the immediate focus at the club is firmly on Bentaleb’s health, with his condition set to be closely monitored by both Lille and the Algerian national team in the days ahead.
