First start for Erding?

After the quick return of the international from the African Cup of Nations (Hadji, Mangane, Pitroipa), the Stade Rennais squad has gained in depth, offering multiple choice to its manager, Frédéric Antonetti, who has decided to take a squad of nineteen players for the trip to Nancy. Except for John Boye, qualified for the quarter-finals of the AfCoN and Cheick Fantamady Diarra, finally called with Mali, only Razak Buokari (hamstring) and Youssouf Hadji (pulled thigh muscle) are missing for this trip in the freezing climate of Lorraine, where temperatures around -15 °C have been recorded since the beginning of the week. For this reason, the game has been advanced to 15:00 CET instead of the original time of 19:00.
The line-up could be interesting this Saturday, depending on the decisions made by Frédéric Antonetti. This game could appear as a passing of the baton between Victor Hugo Montaño and Mevlüt Erding at the centre-forward position, as confirmed by L’Équipe this Friday. Convincing against Marseille, Yacine Brahimi could be in competition with Jonathan Pitroipa on the left wing, unless the Burkinabe was to be rested, since he only came back to La Piverdière this Wednesday morning. Finally, Benoît Costil, suspended against Marseille last season, will return in the goals to replace Abdoulaye Diallo who will sit on the bench. Stéphane Dalmat, who isn’t considered as an option in Rennes anymore, is once again left out of the professional squad.

Like Antonetti, Jean Fernandez has called a squad of nineteen players, for only two players missing, which are the goalkeeper Damien Grégorini (personal reasons) and the Malian international midfielder Bakaye Traoré, playing in the African Cup of Nations. Doubtful during the week, Sébastien Puygrenier and Joël Sami will be lined-up in the starting eleven, to the contrary of Benjamin Jeannot (strained hamstring).
After getting back on the rails in Auxerre (3-1) with a brace of Niculae, Nancy will want to end a run of four games without a win at Marcel Picot, a stadium where they haven’t won since November 6th and a victory against Brest (2-1).

Stade Rennais FC

- Goalkeepers : Costil, Diallo
- Defenders : Apam, Danzé, Jebbour, Kana-Biyik, Mangane, Mavinga, Théophile-Catherine
- Midfielders : Doumbia, Féret, M’Vila, Pajot, Tettey
- Forwards : Brahimi, Erding, Kembo, Montaño, Pitroipa

• Injured : Boukari (hamstring), Hadji (pulled muscle)
• Suspended : n/a
• International : Boye, Diarra
• Manager’s decision : N’Diaye, Foulquier, Kandji, Dalmat, Doucouré, Issah, Rouger, Sané

AS Nancy Lorraine

- Goalkeepers : Ndy Assembé, Pillot
- Defenders : André Luiz, Calvé, Helder, Haïdara, Lemaitre, Loties, Sami, Puygrenier
- Midfielders : Hammar, Karaboué, Mangani, Mollo, Sané
- Forwards : Bakar, Jo-Gook, Moukandjo, Niculae

• Injured : Jeannot (pulled muscle)
• Suspended : n/a
• International : Traoré
• Manager’s decision : Grégorini, Joaquim, Sall

- Photo : srfc.frenchwill.fr