Marseille’s first international break arrives with the club bruised by results, but Igor Paixao has offered a welcome flicker of relief after his early exit against Paris Saint-Germain. The Brazilian winger has said he did not sustain an injury to his right knee in Sunday’s 2-1 Classique defeat.
Key takeaways
- Paixao left the PSG match in the 30th minute after landing awkwardly in an aerial challenge.
- The former Feyenoord player has reassured supporters that his knee problem is not an injury.
- Marseille enter the break second from bottom in Ligue 1.
- Bruno Genesio’s side have lost five matches in a row in all competitions.
- OM return with an away league fixture at Troyes on Sunday 11 October, followed by Olympiacos in the Europa League on 15 October.
Paixao calms Marseille concern
The sight of Paixao walking off after half an hour against PSG had added another concern to an increasingly difficult spell for Marseille. The winger had taken a knock to his right knee following an aerial duel, prompting fears that he could face time out.
He moved quickly to ease those worries with a message posted on Instagram. “Better days are coming,” Paixao wrote. “Thank you for all the kind messages. I am well and I am not injured.”
It means Genesio and his staff should have one of their principal attacking options available once club football resumes. That is significant for a team seeking a way out of a five-game losing sequence against Monaco, Paris FC, Rennes, Besiktas and PSG.
A demanding return after the break
Marseille are currently penultimate in the Ligue 1 table, making their first match after the international window a pressing occasion rather than a gentle restart. They travel to Troyes on Sunday 11 October, with kick-off scheduled for 20:45.
Four days later, Olympiacos visit in the Europa League. With the domestic position already alarming and European commitments continuing, Paixao’s fitness removes at least one immediate problem from Marseille’s crowded October schedule.
