Olympique de Marseille have received a massive boost entering a defining week of their season. Crucially, both Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Nayef Aguerd are now available for the Champions League trip to Union Saint-Gilloise and the high-stakes Ligue 1 encounter with AS Monaco.
Although originally set to join their national teams on December 8 for AFCON, FIFA agreed to delay the mandatory release date until December 15 following successful lobbying from European clubs. This outcome aligns perfectly with Sporting Director Mehdi Benatia’s recent plea for "common sense" to prevail.
For Roberto De Zerbi, retaining these starters changes the landscape completely. Aubameyang has proved indispensable with eight goals and eight assists, while Aguerd has totally transformed the defense. They can now impact the critical podium fight against Monaco.
Nevertheless, they will still subsequently depart for the international tournament, effectively ruling them out of the upcoming Coupe de France round of 64 fixture.