Ligue 1, Nice - Stade rennais, Saturday 21:00 CET. At the Stade du Ray this Saturday , Frédéric Antonetti should start with most of the players who took part in the victories against Lyon and Évian. With Mangane and Kana-Biyik, only the defence is surrounded with question-marks.
If René Marsiglia wants to try and guess the Rennes line-up for his team’s game against Rennes this week-end, the Nice manager will only have to have a look at the line-ups of the game against Lyon and Évian. Over the last few weeks, Frédéric Antonetti has found a clear starting XI, and the performance of the substitutes against Udinese is unlikely to change the deal in the short-term.
At the moment, the only doubts are surrounding the Rennes defence, which will be left without Kader Mangane, still recovering from his injury, and Jean-Armel Kana-Biyik, suspended, at the Stade du Ray. Without his two best centre-backs, Antonetti should start with Mandjeck once again, but who will pair with him in central defence?
Back from injury, John Boye played one half against the Italians on Wednesday evening, managing an average display. The Rennes manager will have to decide by Saturday evening, whether the Ghanaian is ready to play a full game. Another possibility is to reposition Kévin Théophile-Catherine at centre-back, as he has already done several times last season with success. At left –back, Chris Mavinga – who showed improvements against the Udinese – could profit of this repositioning to start.
As for the rest of the squad, no real surprise. At midfield, Yann M’Vila, Tongo Doumbia and Julien Féret should be returning in the starting line-up, just like Jirès Kembo, Jonathan Pitroipa and Victor Hugo Montaño upfront. With some of the players rested on Wednesday, and the others having only played a few dozen of minutes on Wednesday, there will be no excuse of a lack of physical condition. In other words, and despite the Europa League, OGC Nice and Stade Rennes will be in equal conditions when entering the pitch on Saturday.
On his side, René Marsiglia will see the returns of David Ospina and Renato Civelli, both suspended last Snuday in Lorient. Gabonese forward will be absent however, serving a second match of suspension. The Nice manager will also do without Digard, out with a thigh injury, and Emerse Faé, suffering with phlebitis.
In great danger in the Ligue 1 table (19th, three points behind the safe zone), the OGC Nice will play this game with an obligation of result, and the need to get back on the rails following three consecutive defeats and five games without a win in the league. Since the beginning of the season, only Ajaccio (3-0) and Bordeaux (3-0) were beaten at the Stade du Ray, while Lyon (1-3) and Saint- Étienne (0-2) managed to win.
- Goalkeepers : Costil, Diallo
- Defenders : Boye, Danzé, Foulquier, Jebbour, Mandjeck, Mavinga, Théophile-Catherine
- Midfielders : Doumbia, Féret, M’Vila, Pajot, Tettey
- Forwards : Brahimi, Hadji, Kembo, Montaño, Pitroipa
- Goalkeepers : Fernandez, Ospina
- Defenders : Civelli, Clerc, Gomis, Mabiala, Monzon, Pejcinovic
- Midfielders : Abriel, Coulibaly, Diakité, Hellebuyck, Meriem, Sablé
- Forwards : Dja Djédjé, Guié Guié, Mounier, Pentecôte
- Photo : srfc.frenchwill.fr
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