Marseille - injuries & suspensions October 2026

Marseille begin the 2026/2027 season after a campaign full of turmoil. The team finished fifth in Ligue 1 last season and secured direct qualification for the Europa League. However, there were further changes over the summer. Bruno Génésio replaced Habib Beye, while several key players left the squad. Marseille still have plenty of potential, but after a turbulent few months, their priority must be to restore stability at the club and on the pitch.

Bruno Génésio tasked with getting the team organised

Génésio arrives in Marseille after two seasons at Lille, with whom he finished third in the previous campaign. He has also managed Lyon and Rennes, so he knows Ligue 1 well and is familiar with the pressure that comes with working at a major French club. He has plenty of work ahead of him in Marseille. He must improve the team’s organisation and ensure that, after a difficult end to last season, they start picking up points consistently again.

Departures have weakened several areas

The biggest outgoing transfer was Mason Greenwood’s move to Fenerbahçe. The Englishman scored 37 Ligue 1 goals over two seasons and was one of the team’s most important attacking players. Marseille also lost Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who moved to Deportivo La Coruña. With both players gone, more will depend on Amine Gouiri and Igor Paixão.

There were changes in defence too. Facundo Medina left for Bayer Leverkusen, Gerónimo Rulli joined Manchester City, and Leonardo Balerdi went out on loan to Roma. Each had an important role in the team, so their departures leave further gaps to fill. The club also said goodbye to Quinten Timber, who moved to Crystal Palace, as well as Benjamin Pavard and Ethan Nwaneri, who returned to their clubs at the end of their loan spells.

No major transfer overhaul this summer

Marseille did not bring in any new first-team players this summer. The club focused on cutting costs and putting its finances in order rather than overhauling the squad again. They did manage to keep Timothy Weah, making his loan move from Juventus permanent. The American can play in several positions, which will help the coach when picking the team and responding to the course of matches.

The lack of reinforcements could nevertheless become an issue after so many departures. Marseille’s squad is thinner, and the options for rotation have diminished in both defence and attack. With the team competing on several fronts, injuries or suspensions to regular starters could prove problematic. Players who have featured less often so far are therefore likely to get more opportunities.

More pressure on Gouiri and Paixão

Amine Gouiri begins the season as the leading option up front following the departures of Aubameyang and Greenwood. The Algerian is comfortable on the ball and can both finish moves and contribute to the build-up. Marseille will, however, need him to be more consistent. Neal Maupay also remains an option in attack and can play alongside another striker.

Igor Paixão should get more chances to show what he can do. His pace and ability to take on defenders one-on-one could help fill the gap left by Greenwood. Pierre-Emile Højbjerg provides experience in midfield, while Timothy Weah can feature in several different positions. With no new arrivals, much will depend on how the current players cope with greater responsibility.

Finding stability again

Fifth place in Ligue 1 earned Marseille a spot in the Europa League, but after a summer full of changes, it is hard to say they had a calm build-up to the season. The club have lost several leading players and brought in no new faces to replace them. Génésio must find a way to improve the team’s defensive play and make up for Greenwood’s goals. Marseille have ambitions of returning to the top end of the league, but first they must address the problems that emerged after last season ended.