Laurent Abergel, the 33-year-old midfielder who joined OGC Nice from Lorient this summer, will be sidelined for several months after rupturing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, the club announced on Monday, August 10, 2026.
Abergel was hurt in the 7th minute of a preseason friendly against Cagliari in Sardinia on Saturday, injuring his knee as he planted his foot. He stayed on the pitch for ten minutes before being substituted in the 17th minute.
Medical examinations carried out over the weekend and on Monday confirmed the rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. Abergel will need surgery and is not expected to return to competition before spring 2027.
Blow to Nice's rebuild
The injury to the former Lorient captain is a significant setback for OGC Nice, which is in the process of restructuring its squad after narrowly avoiding relegation last season.
Nice supporters reacted with dismay on the social media platform X. One user, posting as Velobet_Husband, argued that calling Nice cursed was overblown marketing, noting that Abergel, at 33, had missed only one match in two years, and called that an anomaly rather than a curse.
Another user, posting as hiryuto_, said the injury looked more like bad luck than a curse, pointing out that Abergel had barely been injured throughout his career before picking up an injury after just three matches with his new club. The user said the club's medical department seemed catastrophic.
