Olympique Lyonnais has been dealt a significant blow as midfielder Tanner Tessmann has been ruled out for the remainder of the season. Manager Paulo Fonseca confirmed the unfortunate news during his press conference on Friday, revealing that the 24-year-old US international is sidelined with a "muscle strain."

Tessmann, who has earned 14 caps and scored one goal for the United States, will miss Lyon's upcoming clashes against Toulouse FC this Sunday and the season finale against RC Lens next weekend. While this is a tough setback for the club, there's a silver lining for American soccer fans: his participation in the World Cup this summer is not considered at risk.

The Birmingham, Alabama native has been a reliable presence for Lyon this season, starting 28 of his 41 appearances across all competitions and finding the back of the net twice. However, his playing time has tapered off in recent weeks, making this injury all the more frustrating as he looked to finish the campaign strong.

In brighter news for Lyon, midfielder Orel Mangala could be back in action this weekend. The 28-year-old Belgian has been recovering from a thigh injury picked up during the match against AJ Auxerre at the end of April. "We only have Orel who warmed up with us, and I think he'll do the full session tomorrow," Fonseca shared optimistically.

Mangala has been working his way back from a cruciate ligament injury sustained earlier in the season, and his return couldn't come at a better time. With the World Cup in the United States looming this summer, the Belgian international is eager to prove his fitness and catch the eye of Red Devils manager Rudi Garcia for a spot on the plane.