Metz vs Nantes Preview: Team News & Prediction
by Alex Lawes ·
Updated
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Heading into the Ligue 1 run in after the March international break, the bottom two sides, Metz and Nantes, face off against each other at Stade Saint Symphorien.
Kick-off date/time:
How to watch on TV: UK – Not televised / US – beIN Sports
How to watch online: UK – Ligue 1+ / US – beIN Sports Connect
Metz preview: Relegation-bound
Metz come into this one on the back of a goalless draw with an impressive, top seven chasing Stade Rennais in their most recent outing a couple of weeks ago, prior to the March international break.
The hosts are now winless in their last 15 or 16 games in Ligue 1. That means they begin this weekend's round of fixtures sitting eight points adrift of the relegation playoff place and 13 points adrift outright safety.
Nantes preview: Relegation-bound
They now face a Nantes side that have continued to battle against the drop that they have been circling for a while with little improvement since the mid-season appointment of Ahmed Kantari.
The Canaries are the other side in the bottom two with three successive losses ahead of the break, sitting just three points ahead of Metz and in a desperate need for three points this weekend.
Metz team news: Toure suspended
Alpha Toure is now missing through suspension for Metz. First-choice goalkeeper Pape Sy has also picked up an injury issue alongside former Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Boubacar Traore.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Fischer; Koauo, Sane, Yegbe, Colin; Gbamin, Munongo; Sarr, Deminguet, Tsitaishvili; Diallo
Unavailable: Stambouli (Injured), Toure (Suspended), Mangondo (Injured)
Questionable: Sy (Injured), Traore (Injured)
Nantes team news: Trio of doubts
Nantes are dealing with a trio of injury doubts for this one as former Arsenal midfielder Francis Coquelin is now potentially sidelined alongside both Fabien Centonze and Dehmaine Tabibou.
Predicted XI (3-5-2): Lopes; Awaziem, Tati, Cozza; Amian, Lepenant, Kaba, Sissoko, Guilbert; Ganago, Abline
Unavailable:
Questionable: Centonze (Injured), Coquelin (Injured), Tabibou (Injured)
Metz vs Nantes prediction
These two sides have been struggling throughout the campaign and they appear destined for Ligue 2. The two teams have lacked much quality in the final third but it should be an end to end and desperate encounter this weekend as both sides chase a win in what is more or less 'last chance saloon'; and so both teams scoring may well be a good bet for this one.
Metz vs Nantes tip: Both teams to score
