Nigeria midfielder Tochukwu Nnadi unavailable for Stade Rennes clash

Marseille midfielder Tochukwu Nnadi is set to miss Friday night’s Ligue 1 encounter against Stade Rennais as he continues his recovery from a knee injury.

The Nigerian midfielder picked up the injury during Marseille’s 2-0 defeat to AS Monaco two weeks ago, forcing him to leave the pitch and raising concerns over his availability for the club’s upcoming fixtures.

Nnadi has since made the decision to reject surgery in a bid to accelerate his recovery and make an earlier return to competitive action.

The decision means the midfielder will instead continue with a rehabilitation programme as he looks to recover sufficiently to return to the Marseille squad.

Although his condition is reportedly improving, Nnadi is not expected to be fit in time for the trip to Rennes on Friday night.

Marseille coach Bruno Genesio has provided a positive update on the midfielder, revealing that Nnadi is “doing better” as he continues his recovery.

However, the Nigerian remains unlikely to return before the upcoming international break, meaning Marseille will have to cope without one of their midfield options during a crucial period.

Nnadi’s absence is particularly significant for Marseille given the limited options available to the club following a busy summer transfer window.

The French giants have suffered consecutive defeats against Monaco and Paris FC and will be hoping to bounce back against Rennes.

For Nnadi, the immediate objective will be to complete his recovery without further complications and return to the team once he is fully fit.