Olympique de Marseille could be boosted by the return of forwards Igor Paixão and Amine Gouiri for their Ligue 1 fixture against Nantes on Saturday, according to interim coach Habib Beye. Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Beye indicated that both players are recovering faster than expected from their respective injuries and are likely to travel with the squad, though they may not be ready to start.
Beye described the pair's progress as 'satisfactory,' offering a rare positive note for a squad dealing with multiple absences. The club confirmed that CJ Egan-Riley, Geoffrey Kondogbia, and Bilal Nadir will definitely miss the match due to injury, while Benjamin Pavard and Timothy Weah are suspended. Marseille currently sit sixth in the table, four points adrift of the crucial fourth-place position, which offers a route into the Champions League qualifiers.
The potential availability of Paixão and Gouiri is significant for an attack that has sometimes lacked cutting edge. Igor Paixão, the Brazilian winger signed from Feyenoord last summer, has shown flashes of his talent in his debut Ligue 1 season but has been hampered by fitness issues. His pace and dribbling ability on the flank are seen as key assets for unlocking defenses. French international Amine Gouiri, who joined from Rennes, provides a different threat with his creativity and capacity to operate as a second striker or wide attacker.
Their returns come at a critical juncture in Marseille's season, with the team under pressure to close the gap on the European places. According to reports from L'Équipe, the club's hierarchy views securing a top-four finish as the minimum requirement this campaign. The fixture against a Nantes side also battling at the wrong end of the table is therefore framed as a must-win encounter. Beye's task has been complicated by the suspension of key defender Pavard and the energetic Weah, making the attacking reinforcements all the more valuable.
The broader context for Marseille has been challenging, with a recent change in head coach and persistent speculation about the squad's depth. In this light, the accelerated recovery of two important offensive players is a welcome development. Beye will be cautious not to rush them back, but even having them available from the bench could provide a decisive option in a tight match. The club's medical staff will continue to assess both players in the final training sessions before the squad departs for the Stade de la Beaujoire.
