Hiroki Sakai is lucky.
The side of OM escaped an uninspiring training, under a nasty drizzle, this Friday morning.
The Japanese were warm, in the buildings of the Commandery, to recover from the heavy defeat inflicted by Manchester City (3-0).
Pampered by physiotherapists, Hiroki Sakai should be on the lawn of the Vélodrome this Saturday, facing Monaco (5 p.m.).
The Japan international is not injured, just very tired.
When many European clubs - PSG in the lead - deplore or have deplored an avalanche of muscle injuries, the OM infirmary remains relatively empty.
Paris had up to 12 players on the flank at the beginning of November.
On the contrary, the Marseillais are relatively spared.
Certainly, Bouna Sarr's knee creaked this summer and Dario Benedetto regularly complains about the Achilles tendon.
But only three muscle injuries are to be deplored: a contracture deprived Morgan Sanson of the Clasico.
Jordan Amavi is currently treating a small calf tear and Nemanja Radonjic is treating a thigh muscle injury.
They should be able to face Rennes next Wednesday.
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“Nemanja was injured in the selection,” defends André Villas-Boas, quite proud of his anti-injury “methodology”: “My teams have always been in the top 3 of the annual UEFA medical report.
We even broke all records with Zenith Saint Petersburg, in terms of player availability, training sessions and matches played.
"Like José Mourinho or Leonardo Jardim, AVB is a fan of tactical periodization:" All our preparation is linked to the game, we do not favor the individual aspect.
Each exercise incorporates all the ingredients of a match.
"
OM took advantage of the stoppage of Ligue 1 in March
Sports science researcher Joel Mason believes that “Tactical periodization can be a useful framework for training, but not all teams that implement it see a reduction in the number of injuries.
This scientist from the University of Jena, Germany, believes that "it all depends on how the workload is managed when the matches are linked.
"For him, OM also took advantage of the stoppage of Ligue 1 in March:" If the physical work was done correctly, it may be an advantage to have had time to prepare for the season .
"
Usually very discreet in the media, the medical technical director of OM Abdou Sbihi has agreed to lift the veil a little on the methods of the Marseille staff.
"Prevention protocols in the gym are carried out for each player according to their motor preferences and their history," explains the doctor, spawner of orthopedic surgery.
A GPS study of the workload helps us to better assess recovery.
"
These protocols were "stepped up" after the confinement, as the players had lost physical condition.
Abdou Sbihi and his colleagues also insist on a healthy lifestyle: "A balanced diet is essential, as is quality sleep", insists the practitioner.
For now, this work is paying off and the players are satisfied.
"The staff manages the sequence of matches very well", one enthuses in the entourage of a Marseillais.