Moroccan midfielder Bilal Nadir is set to make his first start for Olympique de Marseille as they face Thionville in the Coupe de France.
Multiple Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) absences leave Marseille scrambling around to put a coherent team together. Les Phocéens are the most heavily AFCON-affected side in Ligue 1. Chancel Mbemba, Pape Gueye, Amine Harit, Azzedine Ounahi, Iliman Ndiaye and Ismaïla Sarr are all absent, whilst François Mughe, who declined his Cameroon call-up to remain with OM, is still awaiting authorisation to play for his club during the AFCON period.
Valentin Rongier and Joaquín Correa are also both absent through injury, which will provide Nadir with his long-awaited opportunity to make an impression on Gennaro Gattuso.
Marseille likely lineup v Thionville
Ruben Blanco; Bamo Meïté, Samuel Gigot, Leonardo Balerdi; Ronan Lodi, Jordan Veretout, Geoffrey Kondogbia, Bilal Nadir, Jonathan Clauss; Vitinha, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. (L’Éq)
