Olympique de Marseille is set to face Evian-Thonon-Gaillard in the second day of Ligue 1 this Saturday, and the Marseille club aims to build on its positive start to the championship.
The match could have been an opportunity for Saber Khalifa to reunite with his former teammates. However, despite his recent transfer to Olympique de Marseille, the Tunisian international will not be making a return to competition just yet. Although he will be presented to the public at the Vélodrome stadium, his coach, Elie Baup, has deemed him not yet ready for competitive play.
Elie Baup explained at a press conference, “It’s been a while since he played. He did athletic work in Tunisia with a physical trainer, but that does not replace all the sensations of playing a match. I don’t think he will be in the squad for the match against Evian on Saturday. He only had three sessions with the ball. It must be considered that he is in preparation.” Khalifa’s return to competitive action is still pending as he continues his preparation with Marseille.
