Marseille’s Comeback Countdown: Akord Returns as Monaco Test Looms
5 April 2026
Ahead of the Monaco clash: Akord's comeback update
Marseille head coach Habib Bay outlined several issues facing the squad before Sunday’s clash with Monaco, the 28th round of Ligue 1.
Bay admitted the team has not been satisfactory in recent form, but he reaffirmed that his objective of securing a Champions League place remains firmly on the agenda.
The squad will head to the principality without a few key players: Bay confirmed Geoffrey Kondogbia will miss the match with a thigh injury, while Mason Greenwood is still in rehabilitation.
Positive news on Akord and defensive options
Despite the setbacks, Bay delivered positive notes about Morocco's Naïf Akord, who resumed training last Friday and will gradually rejoin the group. He also said Leonardo Palerdi is close to a full return to training, gradually strengthening defensive options.
French media reports, including RMC Sport, had earlier indicated Akord has been dealing with a sports hernia, a common issue for players under heavy load.
Akord underwent emergency surgery in March and is making steady progress in his rehabilitation so far.
Standings and stakes for the night
Marseille and Monaco aim to boost their European hopes, with Marseille fourth on 49 points and three clear of the seventh-placed Monaco as the campaign approaches its end.
On a lighter note, if comebacks were free kicks, Akord would be in perpetual goal-of-the-season mode. And if Marseille’s defense grows any tighter, you’ll need a passport just to cross it.
Punchline 1: If Akord's comeback hits the same gear as this article's updates, Marseille's defense will stop buffering and finally load clean sheets.
Punchline 2: Monaco, beware: the comeback is real, and even the ball seems to be practicing its defensive stance in advance.
