Senegal and Lyon defender Moussa Niakhaté is facing a spell on the sidelines after suffering a hamstring injury during the international break.
The centre-back is expected to miss Lyon’s Ligue 1 meeting with RC Lens on Friday and could also be unavailable for their Europa League fixture against Crystal Palace on 15 October.
Niakhaté was involved in Senegal’s first two matches of the international window, against Mozambique and Ethiopia, as the Lions of Teranga began their qualifying campaign for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.
However, he was absent when Senegal completed their international commitments against Comoros.
The Lyon defender suffered the injury while on international duty and returned to his club for further assessment.
Niakhaté underwent an MRI scan in Marseille after sustaining the hamstring problem.
The exact nature of the injury has not been disclosed, although reports indicate that it is not considered serious.
Despite that assessment, Niakhaté is expected to miss Lyon’s trip to Bollaert to face Lens on Friday.
His availability for the following Europa League match remains uncertain, with Lyon due to host Crystal Palace on 15 October.
The potential absence of Niakhaté would be a setback for Lyon, given the role he has established in the centre of their defence.
The Senegalese defender has developed a strong partnership with Félix Bacher, and his absence could force Lyon to make changes to a defensive unit that has benefited from their understanding.
For now, Lyon will have to wait for further updates before knowing whether Niakhaté will be fit to face Crystal Palace.
His immediate focus will be on recovering from the hamstring injury after leaving the Senegal squad early.
Niakhaté had been part of Senegal’s squad for a busy international period.
The Lions played three matches during the break, beginning with games against Mozambique and Ethiopia in the opening rounds of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
Senegal then faced Comoros, but Niakhaté was unavailable for that final fixture because of his injury.
His return to Lyon has allowed the club to begin managing the problem, but the timing is particularly inconvenient with domestic and European fixtures approaching.
The match against Lens is the first fixture expected to come too soon for the defender.
The next concern will be the Europa League meeting with Crystal Palace, which is scheduled for 15 October.
Although his injury has reportedly been described as not serious, there is currently no certainty that he will recover in time for the European fixture.
Lyon will therefore monitor his condition closely over the coming days before determining whether he can return to training and compete again.
Niakhaté’s absence could also affect Lyon’s defensive preparations for the busy period ahead.
