A pair of sides in relegation danger will return to Ligue 1 action on Sunday as Nantes welcome Clermont to Stade de la Beaujoire.
Les Canaris are six points above the relegation line, losing their final three league fixtures of 2023, while Les Lanciers are bottom of the table, winless in six successive domestic affairs.
Match preview
© Reuters
Having over two weeks off between their previous two competitive fixtures did Nantes some good as they looked sharper in their Coupe de France victory over Pau, winning 4-1.
That was as many goals as they had scored in their previous nine Ligue 1 contests combined, though it was against a second-tier side.
Jocelyn Gourvennec, though, will take any positivity he can get, seeing as his side had only claimed one triumph before their Coupe de France victory with him at the helm (1-0 versus Nice).
Not only have Nantes been struggling to find the back of the net domestically of late, but all season long, they have had difficulty keeping the ball out of their own net, conceding the second-most goals in Ligue 1 (28).
While Nantes have lost six of their last eight Ligue 1 affairs, they have not suffered four successive defeats in this competition since October to November 2019 (four).
La Maison Jaune have never lost to Clermont in Ligue 1, keeping them off the scoresheet in each of their last two meetings in this competition.
© Reuters
It would be an understatement to say Clermont are in serious danger of relegation, five points behind Lyon for a place in Ligue 1 next season.
Their chances of surviving appear bleak right now, but there are still 21 league games to go, while CF63 are only three points behind Toulouse for a relegation playoff spot.
History, however, is not on the side of this team, as Clermont are currently on 11 points, and nine of the last 10 French sides who had that total after 17 matches were relegated, though Strasbourg managed to stay up a season ago despite that predicament.
Pascal Gastien's men began 2024 positively, coming back to earn a 1-1 draw with Metz in their Coupe de France fixture last Friday, with Clermont advancing on penalties (3-1).
That was only the second time in a competitive fixture this season that this team earned a positive result after conceding the opening goal, while failing to win a domestic encounter in 2023-24 in that scenario.
Les Lanciers have lost four of their last six visits to Stade de le Beaujoire but have got a positive result from there in two of their previous three away encounters versus Nantes, winning 1-0 in the 2012-13 Ligue 2 campaign and earning a 1-1 draw last season.
Team News
© Reuters
Nantes will be missing four players on Sunday including their top two goalscorers, Mostafa Mohamed and Moses Simon, who are representing Egypt and Nigeria at the Africa Cup of Nations, while Samuel Moutoussamy was called up to the Congolese squad and Jean-Charles Castelletto is with Cameroon.
Ignatius Ganago is out for the season due to an ACL tear, while Bastien Meupiyou remains on the sidelines because of a knee injury.
Tino Kadewere had a brace in their come-from-behind Coupe de France victory over Pau, with the other strikes coming courtesy of Kader Bamba and Florent Mollet.
Clermont will be without three players because of the Africa Cup of Nations, with Mory Diaw joining the defending champions Senegal, Alidu Seidu will hope to feature for Ghana and Jeremie Bela will represent Angola.
Elbasan Rashani is not expected to be ready for this game due to a shoulder injury, while Maximiliano Caufriez is out through suspension.
Last Friday, an early second-half strike from Jim Allevinah levelled their Coupe de France match with Metz, allowing Les Lanciers to prevail in a shootout as Mehdi Zeffane put home the winning spot-kick.
Nantes possible starting lineup:
Lafont; Pallois, Comert, Duverne; Coco, Chirivella, Sissoko, Merlin; Mollet; Abline, Bamba
Clermont possible starting lineup:
Ndiaye; Pelmard, Ogier, Armougom; Konate, Keita, Gastien, Borges; Gonalons, Allevinah; Nicholson
We say: Nantes 0-0 Clermont
Both sides are missing integral parts of their respective teams, though neither are all that sharp in the attacking third even with an entire squad available.
Therefore, we expect a relatively dull and cagey affair between two teams in poor form who do not possess much going forward.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Joel Lefevre
