Lille Loses Igaman for Champions League Stage
Moroccan international player Hamza Igaman will miss Lille OSC's Champions League group stage matches as he continues to recover from a torn ACL sustained earlier this year, the club announced.
Lille's coach, Davide Ancelotti, confirmed the absence of the 23-year-old forward during a press conference ahead of the team's opening match in the competition, scheduled for today against Real Betis of Spain.
Veteran French striker Olivier Giroud, who has regained his form at the start of the season, is expected to fill in for Igaman. The French side has collected seven points from nine possible in the first three rounds of the domestic league, thanks to victories over Toulouse and Angers.
Ancelotti urged caution against the Spanish team, which features players with significant experience in European competitions. He added, “Many of them have already won the Champions League. Betis is a well-organized team that is always difficult to face, and they have a solid defensive structure.”
If Igaman's teammates can reach the knockout stage or Round of 16 in the Champions League, he may have the opportunity to join the squad for the later rounds of the tournament.
The international player suffered a tear in the anterior cruciate ligament of his right knee during the Africa Cup of Nations final held on January 18 in Morocco. Igaman entered the match in the 98th minute but was forced to leave the field at the end of the first extra time.
The player also faced physical issues before the continental tournament due to a muscle injury sustained during the fifteenth round of the French league in December 2025 with Lille.
