The autumn schedule has barely settled into its rhythm and Lyon have already been hit by a serious training-ground setback. Mohamed Ouédraogo has suffered a cruciate ligament rupture and will be out for several months, while Moussa Niakhaté will miss Friday’s Ligue 1 trip to Lens with a thigh problem.
Ouédraogo faces lengthy lay-off
Ouédraogo, 23, injured his knee during training this week. The Burkina Faso international has torn a cruciate ligament, an injury that rules him out for a prolonged period and removes another option from Lyon’s squad as the season gathers pace.
The wing-back arrived from SCR Altach during the summer but had featured only sparingly for OL. He made two starts and appeared in four matches in total following his move.
Ouédraogo has won 10 caps for Burkina Faso. He was called up for the nation’s most recent international break, although he remained an unused substitute throughout the camp.
Lyon still have Abner Vinicius and Nicolas Tagliafico available as alternatives in Ouédraogo’s position, but the injury is a significant blow for a player who had been looking to establish himself after his summer arrival.
Niakhaté also ruled out at Lens
Niakhaté will not travel to Pas-de-Calais for Friday’s meeting with Lens after sustaining a thigh injury. His absence is expected to be considerably shorter than Ouédraogo’s.
The Senegal defender had played two full international matches before withdrawing from the Comoros fixture at the Vélodrome on 4 October. Senegal won that match 1-0, but Niakhaté did not take part after experiencing the physical issue.
Lyon must therefore prepare for Lens without both Niakhaté and Ouédraogo, with the latter now beginning a long recovery from one of football’s most demanding injuries.
