Having suffered a hamstring injury in January and then a relapse in early February, Samson Baidoo has still not returned to competitive action with Lens. Two months on, the uncertainty surrounding the Austrian centre-back is as intriguing as it is frustrating within the club.
But where has Samson Baidoo (22) gone? The revelation of the season at Lens, the Austrian centre-back has not set foot on the pitch since the 3-1 victory over Rennes on 7 February. An absence that is, above all, baffling.
Indeed, the former Salzburg player is training normally, feels no pain, yet is consistently left out of the squad, to the point of plunging the coaching staff into uncertainty.
Even Sage is disillusioned
On paper, however, the situation seems straightforward. In reality, it is anything but. Following two quick-fire relapses, the medical team is exercising the utmost caution and refuses to approve a return without full physical guarantees. The result: Baidoo is deemed fit to take part in training sessions, but not yet ready to withstand the intensity of a competitive match, despite RCL’s title race.
This discrepancy creates a grey area that is difficult to manage and has even left Pierre Sage in a rather surprising state of confusion. “I don’t even know what to say to you anymore,” admitted the Lens manager after Saturday’s 2-1 friendly win over Rouen. The final go-ahead does not depend on the pitch, but on a strict protocol, leaving the former Olympique Lyonnais coach in limbo, with no real clarity.
An absence that throws everything off balance
On the pitch, his absence is weighing heavily on the Sang et Or. With their rock-solid Austrian centre-back, who has been impressive since his €8m signing during the last summer transfer window, Lens were averaging 2.39 points per game and boasting a solid defensive foundation. Without him, the average drops to 1.6 points and goals conceded have risen sharply, proof of his influence on the team’s balance.
Above all, this constantly delayed return is disrupting the entire squad management. Intended to last a few weeks, the interim period is dragging on and forcing the coaching staff to establish a reshuffled defence for the long term. Between medical caution, vague communication and direct sporting consequences, the Baidoo situation now goes beyond the simple context of an injury and has become a real source of tension in Lens’s final sprint.
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