Fonseca Unsure on Nuamah Return as Lyon Star Battles Fitness and Confidence
Head coach of Olympique Lyon, Paulo Fonseca, has raised concerns over the readiness of Ghana international Ernest Nuamah ahead of their upcoming Ligue 1 fixture against Angers.
The winger has endured a lengthy spell on the sidelines after suffering a serious anterior cruciate ligament injury during a league clash with Lille OSC. The setback ruled him out for nearly a year, including Ghana’s World Cup qualifying campaign, and he is yet to feature in the current season.
Although Nuamah has resumed training, Fonseca revealed that the player is still working through the psychological effects of the injury, which continue to delay his return to competitive action.
“Ernest Nuamah? He’s a player who still lacks confidence due to his long injury,” Fonseca said ahead of the Angers encounter.
The Lyon manager also admitted that the attacker’s absence has been felt within the squad, particularly given his ability to influence games in the final third.
“Teams are stronger when there’s competition at every position. When I see Ernest on the field, I think that’s the kind of player who makes the difference and whose absence hurts,” he added.
While a return against Angers appears unlikely, there is growing optimism that Nuamah could be in contention for selection in the following fixture against Lorient.
His gradual comeback will be closely monitored in Ghana, with the Black Stars hopeful of having the talented forward fully fit ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America.
