Pierre Sage forced to improvise as Samson Baidoo’s return keeps slipping at Lens | OneFootball

Samson Baidoo’s comeback from a hamstring problem has been delayed again, unsettling Lens, and he has not featured since 7 February.

According to L'Équipe, a return pencilled in for last weekend’s Lille derby was scrapped, and the Austrian will miss Saturday’s Rouen friendly at Bollaert, 14:00.

He played in the 3-1 win over Rennes on 7 February, then relapsed immediately. Racing have been without him for 11 of 15 matches in 2026, and a firm return date now looks unlikely.

Hopes rose when he trained two days before Lille, but Pierre Sage cooled them by speaking of longer timelines. Baidoo did not appear at the open session at François-Blin in Avion.

After the 0-3 at Pierre-Mauroy, Sage voiced frustration at the uncertainty. He said he does not know when Baidoo will play again, while ruling out a new setback or surgery.

Attention now turns to Toulouse, in Ligue 1 on 17 April then the Coupe de France semi-final on 21 April, though Sage is steering clear of predictions after previous setbacks. With Gradit and Antonio also out, he had turned to Nidal Celik alongside Ismaëlo Ganiou and Malang Sarr, and is now having to keep the 19-year-old Bosnian in the XI.

Baidoo joined from Salzburg last summer for €8m including bonuses.

Source: L'Équipe