LOSC Lille Métropole starlet Johan Audel will miss the rest of the UEFA Champions League group stage following surgery on a persistent shoulder injury.

Bright start
The 22-year-old striker has yet to figure in the competition proper this season, although did score the only goal in the third qualifying round second-leg success at FK Rabotnicki that helped the French club to qualify. He has not played for Lille since 19 September and will be out for at least another three months. Audel, who spent last term on loan at FC Lorient, signed a new contract last month to keep him at Lille until 2010.

Keeping positive
Coach Claude Puel has also lost the services of Nicolas Fauvergue with a calf injury for the Matchday 3 visit of AEK Athens FC on Tuesday week, and the centre-forward could still be out come the return match in Greece on 1 November. Puel, however, refuses to be downbeat about his attacking problems as he hopes to build on a return of two points from Lille's first two games. "Other strikers like Souleymane Youla or Kevin Mirallas will get their chance to perform," Puel said.