Nantes host Lens in the quarter-finals of the Coupe de France on Wednesday evening, with the visitors aiming to knock the holders out of the tournament.
Nantes defeated Nice 1-0 in last year's final to win France's main domestic cup for the fourth time in the club's history.
Match preview
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Indeed, last season was a hugely successful one for Antoine Kombouare in his first full campaign in charge of the club which he spent his formative years as a player at, as he guided them to their first major trophy in more than two decades.
La Maison Jaune also finished ninth in Ligue 1, which was their best placing in four years at France's top level, but this time around, a top-half finish looks set to be a tough ask given that Reims are nine points clear of them in 10th position.
Kombouare's side have suffered back-to-back defeats in the league, including a 3-1 defeat to their forthcoming Coupe de France opponents Lens, while also being knocked out of the Europa League by Juventus after a 3-0 defeat at Beaujoire Stadium last week.
Nicolas Pallois's 17th-minute dismissal ultimately proved a hurdle too high to overcome despite drawing 1-1 in the first leg in Italy, with World Cup winner Angel Di Maria scoring a superb hat-trick.
As such, the 59-year-old will be determined for his side's season not to peter out during the closing months of the campaign, as he aims to become only the second manager in Nantes' history after Raynald Denoueix to retain the Coupe de France.
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Lens, meanwhile, have not tasted success in this competition since sensationally winning the domestic double in the 1997-98 campaign.
Having guided the club back to Ligue 1 by finishing as runners-up in the second tier in 2020, Franck Haise has continued to take Lens on an upwards trajectory, securing two successive seventh-placed finishes in the top flight.
This season, a sensational record at Stade Bollaert-Delelis has proven the bedrock for Les Sang et Or challenging for a Champions League spot. Indeed, had they beaten Montpellier on Saturday as opposed to drawing 1-1, they would be sitting level on points with Marseille in the second automatic qualification position for Europe's elite competition.
Winning the Coupe de France, of course, would automatically guarantee Lens' involvement in European football next season regardless of their league position. Haise will be hugely motivated to win his first trophy as a manager and crown the club's new era with tangible success, with the holders standing in his way of a place in the final four on Wednesday.
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Nantes will remain without Pallois and Quentin Merlin, who are out injured with knee and groin issues respectively. The duo are both expected to return to first-team action later in March.
Moses Simon and Mostafa Mohamed could come into the starting XI in order to freshen up the hosts' attack, having only been used from the bench during their side's defeat to Rennes at the weekend.
Lens, meanwhile, have a whole host of players out with knee injuries, with Jimmy Cabot, Alexis Claude-Maurice, Wesley Said, Wuilker Farinez and Steven Fortes all remaining on the treatment table.
Adam Buksa is also unavailable for selection due to an ankle issue, limiting Haise's ability to rotate his side ahead of hosting Lille in Ligue 1 on Saturday. However, Lois Openda will expect to start after being on the bench at the weekend.
Nantes possible starting lineup:
Lafont; Centonze, Victor, Castelletto, Hadjam; Sissoko, Chirivella, Moutoussamy; Blas, Mohamed, Simon
Lens possible starting lineup:
Samba; Gradit, Danso, Medina; Frankowski, Samed, Fofana, Haidara; Costa, Fulgini; Openda
We say: Nantes 1-2 Lens
Despite missing several players through injury, there is little doubt that Lens head into this cup tie in better form than Nantes, and as such we expect them to book their place in the semi-finals of the competition.
However, Haise's side have been considerably stronger at home than on the road this season, so we think that they will be pushed hard by the holders, who will be determined to retain the Coupe de France.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
