Dika Mem will not play in the Champions League clash against HBC Nantes, this Thursday, November 21, at the Palau Blaugrana. Suffering from a dislocated right shoulder since September, the FC Barcelona right-back underwent surgery on Tuesday, his club said in a press release released on Wednesday. “The duration of unavailability should be between two and three months”specifies the Catalan club.
An absence which should deprive the French international of World Cups in Croatia, Norway and Denmark, with the French team. Because even if he managed to return to the field within a fairly short time, he would only be able to return during the competition. It is therefore difficult to imagine Guillaume Gille taking such a risk. Unless the Blues have to.
A depopulated rear base
Because two months before the World Cup, the French rear base is depopulated. Elohim Prandi and Kyllian Villeminot were injured during the last rally. The second named has already withdrawn. On the other hand, the left-back can still hope to return, while his unavailability is estimated at between two and four months…
To these injuries, we must add that of Kentin Mahé. Not selected for the Olympic Games and for the November rally, the center-half is also unavailable between two and three months.
N’Guessan, fake retiree?
To date, there are only four left to have participated in Olympic preparation and to be able to claim a place in Blue: Thibaud Briet, Aymeric Minne, Nedim Remili and Melvyn Richardson. Because since the Olympic Games, Nikola Karabatic and Timothey N’Guessan have announced their retirement. The latter still appears in the list of 35 communicated by Guillaume Gille to the International Federation. What is there to imagine a return?
Before you know for sure, one thing is certain, the choices are limited. Still in this list of 35, Jean-Jacques Acquevillo (World Cup 2021) or Romain Lagarde (Games 202, Euro 2018, World Cup 2019 and 2023) are the only ones from the back base to have already played in an international competition, apart from the four present during of Olympic preparation.
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These numerous injuries could allow Julien Bos (HBC Nantes) or Tom Pelayo (US Dunkerque), top scorer in Starligue, to discover the atmosphere of the January competitions.
