Ounahi: hamstring tendon tear rules him out until 2027
Azzedine Ounahi has suffered a complete tear of his right hamstring tendon. The Panathinaikos midfielder will have surgery this week and could miss more than five months of action.
Morocco international Azzedine Ounahi, a Panathinaikos midfielder, has been dealt a major blow: medical scans have revealed a complete tear of his right biceps femoris tendon (hamstring), an injury that will keep him off the pitch for several months and requires surgery this week.
How did the injury happen?
Ounahi was stretchered off during his side's match against Asteras Tripolis on 18 October, which Panathinaikos won 5-1. Initial estimates put his absence at two and a half to three months, before further scans showed the injury was more serious than first thought.
Le360 Sport reports, citing a source close to the Greek club, that Ounahi will undergo surgery in the coming days and that his return to action may not come before the end of March or early April 2027, more than five months after the injury, a timeline that still depends on how his recovery goes after the operation. Greek outlet Sport24 separately confirmed the complete tendon tear and the need for surgery.
A long absence for club and country
The lengthy layoff will deprive Panathinaikos of their Moroccan midfielder for around fifteen remaining matches across all competitions before the end of 2026. Ounahi will also miss Morocco's upcoming international fixtures, a fresh blow to the national coach's midfield options, at a time when another Moroccan international is shining in Europe: Achraf Hakimi, who continues to deliver standout performances for Paris Saint-Germain.
Ounahi rejoined Panathinaikos in September 2026 on a four-year contract, having previously spent a loan spell at the Greek club in the 2024-2025 season, with stints at Marseille and Girona in between. He first made his name globally at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar with the "Atlas Lions," and has 58 caps and 12 goals for Morocco, who were crowned African champions in 2025 and have qualified for the 2026 World Cup, before this new injury cast doubt on his readiness for important football fixtures in the coming months.