Nicolas Tagliafico out for a month with Lyon | OneFootball

Nicolas Tagliafico will be out for about a month after suffering a right ankle sprain in the Europa League in Bern, meaning the Lyon left-back is not expected back before late February.

He was withdrawn at the start of the second half, the 46th minute, in a 1-0 match. According to L'Équipe, head coach Paulo Fonseca said it is the same issue Ruben Kluivert had in November and that Tagliafico will be unavailable for a month.

Abner has adductor pain and is doubtful for Sunday’s Ligue 1 trip to Metz. The staff will assess him in training on Friday from 16:30 and again on Saturday, with Fonseca admitting it will be difficult for him to feature.

Lyon have several options at left-back. Ainsley Maitland-Niles, who filled in after the interval in Bern, looks the most straightforward. If he shifts from the right, Hans Hateboer or Clinton Mata could step in, while Ruben Kluivert can also cover on the left after starting his OL career there.

Moussa Niakhaté returned to training on Friday after his Africa Cup of Nations triumph and subsequent celebrations in Senegal. It remains unclear whether Fonseca will risk starting him at Saint-Symphorien.

Source: L'Équipe