Rennes - Nice : a shortage in defence?

As the squad to face Nice is to be announced tomorrow, Frédéric Antonetti will have to do with yet another cascade of injuries, particularly in defence.

Adding to Onyekachi Apam’s long injury, captain Kader Mangane has been out since the beginning of the month, forcing Kévin Théophile-Catherine to be repositioned at centre-back.
Last week at training, already disturbed by International friendlies, saw several players rested or given medical attention. Le Mensuel de Rennes notably reports that Jean-Armel Kana-Biyik is “very doubtful” for Sunday, while Théophile-Catherine suffers with pelvis pain.

If one or the other of these two players was to miss, another reworking of the defence should follow, with Samuel Souprayen moving to centre back and/or the first professional game of Ghana’s John Boye, while Yassine Jebbour could play at left back if needed.
Another possibility, the repositioning of Tongo Doumbia at centre back. The former Chateauroux player has played at the position several times with the Reserve last season, and he seems to have fully recovered of the injuries that kept him away from a return last week-end.