Nantes-Lens is a Coupe de France quarter-final match played on Wednesday at 18:15: live TV, predictions, likely formations.
The Coupe de France once again pits Nantes and Lens against each other not ten days after their last Ligue 1 clash. On 19 February last, the Giallorossi and the Green and Yellow faced each other on opposite pitches, and Franck Haise’s side had an easy time (3-1) against a team clearly distracted and exhausted by the midweek Europa League fixture.
Nantes played that match between the first leg and the return leg of the play-off for access to the round of 16 against Juventus. Antoine Kombouare’s men were delighted with a draw in the away match in Turin, but were then beaten 3-0 at La Beaujoire and forced to bow down to a magnificent performance by Angel Di Maria, who scored a hat-trick. An experience, that of returning to tread the European stages after several times, however positive for a team that certainly does not have a squad suitable for playing once every three days. In the championship, Nantes are not doing brilliantly and after 25 matches they have to be content with an anonymous thirteenth place: Europe is far away but for the moment they do not seem to run the risk of being sucked into the relegation zone, seven points away.
Lens’ abrupt decline
The cup, however, drained Lafont and his team-mates of energy and on Sunday came the second Ligue 1 defeat in a row, moreover in the heartfelt Breton derby with Rennes (0-1).
Lens players’ jubilation
Nantes, who now, having no other major league targets, can concentrate on the Coupe de France, of which they are the holders. Without Psg in the way – the Parisians were eliminated in the previous round – many teams have the opportunity to go all the way. Lens, who, after their exploit a few weeks ago, when it was thought they could really fight for the title, have slowed down abruptly, slipping out of the top three (they are now level on points with Monaco in third). After the success with Nantes, the Sang et Or did not go beyond a draw with Montpellier (1-1) and did not take advantage of the simultaneous defeats of Monaco and Marseille.
The Prediction
In the league match, staged just eight days ago, the differences were clear, but the Coupe de France remains an unpredictable competition. And we believe Lens, struggling with several absentees, will have some trouble replicating their recent performance in Ligue 1, on a pitch where they have not won for more than 20 years. It will be a hard-fought match in which both sides should score. A draw in regulation time cannot be ruled out.
Nantes-Lens matchday squad
- NANTES (4-2-3-1): Lafont; Centonze, Castelletto, Girotto, Hadjam; Sissoko, Chirivella; Blas, Mollet, Simon; Delort.
- LENS (3-4-3): Leca; Gradit, Danso, Medina; Le Cardinal, Abdul Samed, Fofana, Haïdara; Sotoca, Openda, Fulgini.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 1-1
