Since the season started, the 27-year-old player missed two other league games for his team as he was not available against Reims and PSG in the 4th and 13th rounds of the competition.

The new absence comes amid uncertainties surrounding Mohamed’s future as he is reportedly seeking a departure during the current winter transfer window.

“Mostafa Mohamed and Jean-Kevin Duverne weren’t available for technical reasons, not because of their behaviour,” Kombouaré said in the press conference after the game.

Kombouaré also stressed that the duo should do their best to restore their place in the starting line-up.

Initially joining Nantes on a one-season loan from the Turkish side Galatasaray in the summer of 2022, Mohamed scored 11 goals and provided five assists in 51 games across all competitions, which made Nantes make his move permanent the following season.

Since joining permanently in July 2023, Mohamed quickly established himself as one of the team’s key players.

During the past season, he scored eight goals in 29 appearances.

Mohamed, the former Zamalek frontman, is committed to the French club with a contract that ends in 2027.

In the current season, Mohamed scored just two goals in 17 appearances.

Mostafa Mohamed, who made his international debut in 2019, has been a key figure in the national team's attack in recent years, scoring 13 goals in 45 appearances.

(For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.)