Defensemen Marcelin to depart from Rapid, leave team's defensive line in disarray
Rapid's disappointing run of form has taken a turn for the worse with the news that defender Jean "Ari" Marcelin, a 25-year-old Frenchman who plays for the Madagascar national team, has suffered a severe thigh injury during a match against Altach.
Marcelin collapsed screaming in his own penalty area during the match, and the injury occurred after only 20 minutes and during an unfortunate defensive action. The exact details and recovery timeline of Marcelin's injury remain unclear, as no verified information is found concerning his injury or recovery timeline.
This latest setback comes at a crucial time for Rapid, who missed out on the league lead due to a missed penalty in minute 92 of the same match. The Austrian club, which currently finds itself in a tight battle for the top spot, can ill-afford to lose key players at this stage of the season.
The injury is likely to keep Marcelin out for a long time, possibly even the rest of the season. This development has raised concerns about Rapid's defensive options, as Nenad Cvetkovic, Jakob Schöller, and Amin Gröller are injury-prone central defenders in Rapid's squad. If the sought-after Raux-Yao were to be sold, only Cvetkovic and Ahoussou would remain as fit central defenders in Rapid's squad, which would be extremely risky.
Rapid's coach, Peter Stoeger, was impressed by Jean "Ari" Marcelin's play and character since his arrival at the club during the training camp in Freistadt. Marcelin's departure could potentially lead to Rapid selling a million-dollar player, Mamadou Sangare, as sporting director Katzer negotiated a transfer fee of only 100,000 euros for Marcelin, who was Rapid's long-planned wish player.
Despite the setbacks, Rapid managed to hold Altach to a 0:0 draw in the match, with Raux-Yao playing well in Marcelin's absence. However, the draw means that Rapid remains in second place, three points behind league leaders Red Bull Salzburg.
As Rapid continues to navigate through this challenging period, the focus will be on Marcelin's recovery and the club's efforts to strengthen its defensive options. The Austrian giants will be hoping for a positive turn of events soon to boost their title challenge.
