Sydney FC coach Patrick Kisnorbo has danced around questions surrounding defender Marcel Tisserand's future at the A-League Men club.
With speculation of an imminent retirement, Tisserand was a notable absentee from the Sky Blues' line-up for the season-opening derby stalemate against Western Sydney.
The 30-year-old hadn't been seen at pre-season training and is managing an ongoing hamstring injury, which kept him sidelined through various periods of the 2025/26 campaign.
A former Congo international, Tisserand had joined Sydney FC on a two-season deal last year after stints in the Ligue 1, Bundesliga and the Saudi Pro League.
Tisserand was a key defensive cog for Ufuk Talay's Sky Blues defence, but fell out of favour when Kisnorbo took the helm in March.
His most recent game for the Sky Blues was the club's round-22 loss to the Newcastle Jets - Talay's last game as coach.
Kisnorbo wouldn't shed any light on Tisserand's hamstring injury following the 0-0 draw at Allianz Stadium.
"You have to ask the medical staff," Kisnorbo said.
"But for me, it's what we can do to help him get better and sort of build him to where we need him to be."
The Sky Blues coach also remained tight-lipped when asked if Tisserand remained a consideration for selection.
"We'll have to see about that," Kisnorbo said.
A NewsCorp report in the lead-up to Friday's derby claimed that Tisserand was expected to announce his retirement in the following weeks.
Asked if there was any substance to that report, Kisnorbo said: "It didn't come from my mouth.
"Maybe yours, but I haven't said anything."
Jordan Courtney-Perkins had been preferred by Kisnorbo over Tisserand and is forming a solid defensive partnership with Alexander Popovic.
"'Jordy has come a long way, sort of from when I started with him until now he's grown," Kisnorbo said.
"There's a lot of work to be done, don't get me wrong, there's so much work and learning and improvement to be done.
"But you can see him and 'Poppa', a relationship between them with the cohesion."