Man Utd face Lyon in the quarter-finals of the Europa League next month.
Lyon have reportedly suffered a huge injury blow ahead of their clash with Manchester United in the quarter-finals of the Europa League next month. United must defeat the French side over two legs if they are to keep their trophy hopes alive and have any chance of qualifying for the Champions League next season.
Ruben Amorim's side are still the only unbeaten side left in the Europa League this season and booked their place in the quarter-finals with a 5-2 aggregate win over Real Sociedad earlier this month. Lyon thrashed FCSB 7-1 on aggregate to secure their place in the last eight of the competition.
United's poor Premier League position means they can focus solely on success in Europe this season, while Lyon are fifth in Ligue 1, but only two points from the Champions League places. It means the French side must balance both domestic and European commitments and they will have to do so without one of their most dangerous players.
Lyon suffer huge injury blow
Lyon are reportedly set to be without teenage winger Malick Fofana for the next few weeks after he suffered a sprained knee while on international duty with Belgium.
The teenage forward was forced to withdraw from their international squad a week ago before their Nations League double-header against Ukraine. French outlet L’Équipe claim the 19-year-old will miss around three weeks of action after the setback and is certain to be ruled out of their upcoming trip to face RC Strasbourg Alsace on Friday night.
The report also adds he is expected to miss the home first leg against United on Thursday 10 April, though he hopes to be available when they travel to Old Trafford for the decisive second leg a week later. Fofana has been a key player for Lyon this season, with 10 goals and five assists in 35 appearances across all competitions.
Amad Diallo comparisons
Speaking last week, Malick Fofana's agent Bobo Fofana talked up a possible move to Liverpool or Newcastle and compared his client to current Manchester United star Amad Diallo.
"He has the profile to succeed in the Premier League," the agent told Africa Foot. "He possesses qualities similar to those of Manchester United's Amad Diallo, namely speed, impact, and the ability to create opportunities. There's no doubt he can make a splash. For him, this would be an opportunity to continue his development and, above all, to showcase his talent in a league that favors transitional play. However, he'll have to choose the right club, as competition is fierce across the channel.
"The choice of heart would be Liverpool. He has the potential to enter the rotation, and above all, we would like to see him succeed African legends such as Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mané, and Elhadj Diouf. Now, the choice of reason would be Newcastle, a well-structured club that could be a first step to gain experience before, perhaps, joining a club in the top five European leagues."
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