Mangane and Doumbia are missing

After the slap received in Saint-Étienne (4-0) last week-end, Frédéric Antonetti’s men need to react soon, or they might only have one target remaining for the end of the season: The Coupe de France. This will start with a “quest for redemption” at home against the defending champions, this Sunday at 21:00 at the Stade de la Route de Lorient. In order to manage it, the Stade Rennes coach will be able to pick from a nearly complete squad, a rare enough situation that must be noted.

Indeed, Jean-Armel Kana-Biyik and Onyekachi Apam have both returned to training during the week and will be able to partner at centre-back. The same goes for Youssouf Hadji, now fully recovered of a pulled thigh muscle, but the striker hasn‘t been called by the Rennes coach and is still in « recovery » according to the club.
However, Kader Mangane and Tongo Doumbia are finally unavailable for this game. According to the club, the former is suffering with an ankle injury while the enthusiastic Rennes midfielder is suffering with his foot. Following a mixed performance in the Forez, the young Dimitri Foulquier has been left available for the Reserve, which faced Stade Lavallois’ reserves this afternoon at La Piverdière. Finally, Abdoulaye Diallo has been replaced by Cheick N’Diaye in the first team, probably to gain playing time with the Reserves.

On the other side, Rudi Garcia will be relying on his striker Nolan Roux. Immediately hitting good form when he arrived in Lille, the former Stade Brest star has scored four goals in his last four games. Great news for the Lille manager who is coaching the second best attack in Ligue 1 (42 goals) behind Montpellier’s (47 goals).
As for the injury list, it is slowly clearing up. Indeed, Florent Balmont has recovered from a hamstring injury and will be back in the squad. So will Aurélien Chedjou after a quadriceps injury. However, Franck Béria suffers with a calf injury and will not be present in Rennes.

Currently third-placed in Ligue 1, the defending France champion has won its last two games on the road, in Lorient and in Sochaux (1-0), for a goal-rich defeat at the Stadium Nord against the Girondins de Bordeaux (4-5).
The LOSC is now six points clear of Frédéric Antonetti’s. Eight points behind the leaders, Montpellier, Rudi Garcia’s men are still hoping to get back in track for the title. In order to remain in with a chance, Lille therefore needs to win in Brittany. The LOSC has only lost three times in twenty-four game-weeks, the smallest total equal only to Paris Saint-Germain.

The game will be refereed by Mr Turpin.

Stade rennais FC

- Goalkeepers : Costil, N’Diaye
- Defenders : Apam, Boye, Danzé, Kana-Biyik, Mavinga, Théophile-Catherine
- Midfielders : Brahimi, Féret, M’Vila, Pajot, Tettey
- Forwards : Boukari, Erding, Kembo, Montaño, Pitroipa

• Injured : Mangane (ankle), Doumbia (foot), Hadji (recovery)
• Suspended : n/a
• Manager’s decision: Diallo, Foulquier, Jebbour, Kandji, Dalmat, Doucouré, Issah, Rouger, Diarra, Sané

Lille OSC

- Goalkeepers : Enyeama, Landreau
- Defenders : Béria, Bonnart, Cetto, Chedjou, Debuchy, Digne, Rozehnal
- Midfielders : Souaré, Cole, Balmont, Gueye, Hazard, Mavuba, Payet, Pedretti
- Forwards : Roux, Jelen, Bruno

• Injured : Basa (shoulder), De Melo (thigh)
• Suspended : n/a
• Manager’s decision : Mouko, Soumaoro