Pierre Sage keen on Nantes win as Lyon face Les Canaris.

2024-10-01

As Olympique Lyonnais hosts FC Nantes at the Parc Olympique Lyonnais on Sunday, October 6, the spotlight shines on Lyon's attempts to translate their impressive European form into Ligue 1 success, while Nantes looks to capitalize on a somewhat shaky home record from the hosts.

Olympique Lyonnais

Lyon's flawless start to their UEFA Europa League campaign continued with a convincing 4-1 victory against Rangers. A brace from Alexandre Lacazette and goals from Malick Fofana were enough to secure a third consecutive win in all competitions for Lyon.

After the win, Pierre Sage expressed hope that his team's impressive European form would translate to their Ligue 1 performances. Les Gones have experienced a contrasting league campaign, having just secured their second win with a last-minute 2-1 victory against Toulouse, moving them to 11th place.

Sage emphasized the importance of their upcoming home match against Nantes, stating, "Today, our only concern is to win." Despite having a slightly inferior head-to-head record against Nantes, with 36 wins from 99 meetings, Lyon has recorded 23 victories against them in the topflight during the 21st century.

A 4-3-3 formation is expected, featuring Wilfried Zaha, Saïd Benrahma, and Lacazette in attack. However, there are doubts about Nemanja Matic's availability for the weekend’s fixture.

Nantes

Nantes extended their winless streak to three games [WWLDD] after a disappointing 2-2 draw against newly promoted Saint-Étienne. They initially secured a two-goal lead with goals from Johann Lepenant (10') and Sorba Thomas (49').

However, a reckless elbow by Jean-Charles Castelletto resulted in a penalty by Ibrahim Sissoko, allowing Saint-Étienne to equalize just minutes later [57, 67’ P.]. With the draw, Nantes sit in seventh place as they prepare for Sunday’s clash with Lyon.

Despite Lyon's recent struggles at home, the visitors have lost 11 Ligue 1 games this year. Nantes might employ a 4—2—3—1 formation, featuring Matthis Abline in attack.

Johann Lepenant is ineligible to play against his parent club, while Marcus Coco is suspended for two matches after a red card incident. Additionally, Jean-Charles Castelletto has been removed from the squad for disciplinary reasons following an altercation with head coach Antoine Kombouaré.