Doumbia returns
Ligue 1, Stade rennais - Nice, Sunday 17:00 CET. Frédéric Antonetti has published a list of 19 players for this game, with six important players still missing out injured. Only Doumbia returns this Sunday. Brahimi, Kana-Biyik and Théophile-Catherine will be present, despite the doubts on their physical condition.
In the run-up to the game, some real worry existed regarding which players would be available to Rennes’ coach this Sunday.
Although Frédéric Antonetti will enjoy Tongo Hamed Doumbia’s return at midfield, Stéphane Dalmat is still a bit too short. “He could play but this would mean running the risk to lose him for longer”, the manager explained to Ouest-France. No return scheduled for Georges Mandjeck either at this moment.
Yacine Brahimi will be there however. After receiving a thigh injury against PSG, he had to renounce to Wednesday’s France U21 game. Antonetti announced yesterday, that a decision would be taken after the final training session (this Saturday) regarding his involvement in the game against Nice. The answer is positive.
In attack, Jirès Kembo Ekoko is still absent. But Antonetti will be able to count on several usual starters: Montaño, Boukari and possibly Camara. Julienne and Verhoek are also included in the squad.
As for the defensive line, the press announced uncertainties regarding the participations of Jean-Armel Kana-Biyik and Kévin Théophile-Catherine, both victims of minor injuries. New forfeits in defence would have been a major issue for Frédéric Antonetti, but the two players are finally in the group.
In Nice, Éric Roy hasn’t got as many absences in his squad as his Rennes counterpart. The Nice manager will see striker Eric Mouloungui return. Only Hellebuyck (knee) and Traoré (shoulder) will be missing.
Stade rennais FC
- Goalkeepers : Carrasso, Douchez
- Defenders: Boye, Danzé, Jebbour, Kana-Biyik, Souprayen, Théophile-Catherine
- Midfielders : Brahimi, Doumbia, Lemoine, Leroy, M’Vila, Tettey
- Forwards : Boukari, Camara, Julienne, Montaño, Verhoek
- Injured : Apam (knee), Dalmat (thigh), Kembo (thigh), Mandjeck (thigh), Mangane (thigh), Marveaux (thigh)
- Suspended : n/a
- Manager’s decision : Diallo, Dembélé, Kandji, Caro, Issah
OGC Nice
- Goalkeepers : Letizi, Ospina
- Defenders : Civelli, Clerc, Mabiala, Paisley, Pejcinovic, K. Coulibaly, Gace
- Mildfielders: Ben Saada, D. Diakité, Digard, Faé, Sablé
- Forwards : Bagayoko, Ljuboja, Mounier, Bellion, Mouloungui
- Injured : Hellebuyck (genou), A. Traoré (épaule)
- Suspended : aucun
- Manager’s decision : Bamogo, Cantareil, Quansah