Ulisses Garcia, Ruben Blanco, Neal Maupay and Pol Lirola, OM’s ‘Lofteurs’ still without a way forward | OneFootball

Pushed out in summer then omitted from OM’s Champions League list, the club’s ‘Lofteurs’ have been in and out of the fold and still lack a clear horizon.

Neal Maupay made his first start of the season in the Coupe de France win over Bourg-en-Bresse, 6-0 on Sunday, after only seconds at Nice in the 5-1 defeat on 21 November. L'Équipe reports that Roberto De Zerbi felt the forward’s recent training had been at the required level, while Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s Africa Cup of Nations duty with Gabon and Amine Gouiri’s shoulder recovery also weighed on selection.

Preferred to 18-year-old Robinio Vaz, Maupay showed intent without scoring. De Zerbi had viewed him as almost a son last season, yet he was abruptly sidelined as the summer unfolded.

After Aubameyang arrived, club chiefs made clear he should leave, but the former Brighton striker, 29, stayed on the contract agreed a year earlier, a stance that irked some internally. He slipped to fourth choice, was reduced to post warm-up runs or passing drills with an assistant, then was left off the Champions League list.

Pol Lirola, 28, and Ulisses Garcia, 29, have lived similar routines. Lirola filled in only sporadically, and Garcia was revived after Facundo Medina’s long-term injury late September, re-registered on the Champions League list without any real change to his day to day, his application remaining exemplary.

Both full backs have even been diverted to the Pro 2. After an indoor session with the first team at La Commanderie, a club official told them to travel immediately to London to join a Crystal Palace development game, via Nice in a club-paid taxi.

Ruben Blanco, 30, fresh from a lengthy foot lay-off, returned to training in early November and was told he would be called for the Lyon reserves game. Despite lingering pain, he was urged not to miss the trip, so travelled with the Minots before watching from the stands. He now trains at different times to the pros and the winter window is not expected to radically change the ‘Lofteurs’ situation.

Source: L'Équipe