Højbjerg Suspended for Marseille’s Coupe de France Quarter-Final

Marseille Midfielder Højbjerg Suspended for Coupe de France Tie

Olympique de Marseille will be without Danish international Pierre-Emile Højbjerg for their upcoming Coupe de France quarter-final match against Toulouse on March 4th. The suspension stems from a fifth booking received during Friday night’s 2-0 defeat to Brest, La Provence reports.

Højbjerg, who captained the side in Finistère, accumulated the yellow card that triggered the automatic one-match ban. In other words he will be unavailable for the crucial cup tie at the Stade Vélodrome.

Despite the suspension for the Coupe de France fixture, Højbjerg remains eligible to feature in Marseille’s Ligue 1 clash against Olympique Lyonnais this Sunday. The midfielder’s previous cautions this season came in Ligue 1 matches against Angers and Toulouse, as well as in the Trophée des Champions against Paris Saint-Germain and a Coupe de France round of 16 game versus Rennes.

The disciplinary commission’s decision impacts Marseille as they navigate a challenging period. The defeat to Brest compounded difficulties for the club and the absence of their captain for the quarter-final presents a further hurdle.

Højbjerg is one of several players facing a one-match suspension due to accumulation of yellow cards. Otavio and Ilan Kebbal of Paris FC, and Sofiane Diop of Nice, have also been handed similar bans.

In a separate disciplinary matter, Lorient assistant coach Yannick Cahuzac has received a one-match suspension, plus a further one-match suspended ban, following his sending-off during last Sunday’s match against Nice. This suspension applies to the touchline, referees’ dressing room, and all official duties.

The Coupe de France has seen Paris Saint-Germain emerge as champions in the 2024-25 season, defeating Reims 3-0 in the final to secure their 16th title. The competition, the 108th edition of France’s main football cup competition, involved clubs from across France and its overseas territories, with the notable exception of teams from New Caledonia due to recent unrest.

Julien Domingues was the top goalscorer in the competition, netting nine goals throughout the season. The competition began in May 2024 and concluded with the final on May 24, 2025.