Metz vs Nantes – News and Probable Lineups

The bottom two sides will face each other as Metz hosts Nantes at Stade Saint-Symphorien for a Ligue 1 matchup on Sunday.

The home team is currently at the bottom of the Ligue 1 table with 14 points, while the visitors sit just three points higher in 17th position.

Match overview

Metz seems destined for an immediate drop to the second division, having collected only 14 points over the course of 27 matches.

In fact, the bottom team in Ligue 1 has not secured a victory in 15 league matches since their 2-1 home win over Nice in November.

They at least broke their five-match losing streak with a scoreless draw against Rennes prior to the international break, marking their first away clean sheet since beating Nantes 2-0 in their previous encounter in November.

Unfortunately for Benoit Tavenot’s squad, draws will not be enough to extend their stay in the top league, as they sit eight points behind the relegation playoff spot and 13 points away from safety.

Nonetheless, the goalless draw against Rennes could serve as a crucial confidence boost for a team that has conceded 60 goals in the top division this season, resulting in the worst defensive record in Ligue 1.

The hosts will be hopeful of taking points from this essential fixture, having not lost any of their past seven home matches against Nantes (W3, D4).

Meanwhile, Nantes is facing a serious struggle to maintain their 13-year tenure in the top flight after suffering 17 losses in 26 league matches this season (W4, D5).

La Maison Jaune is currently five points behind Auxerre in the relegation playoff zone, with a 10-point deficit to Nice and Le Havre, who sit in 15th and 14th place respectively.

The club’s management opted to bring back Vahid Halilhodzic before the international break, marking his return for a second term in charge following the departure of Ahmed Kantari.

Halilhodzic started his new tenure with a 3-2 defeat against Strasbourg, even though his team took the lead twice during the match.

Having lost eight out of their last nine Ligue 1 matches, La Maison Jaune must show considerable improvement in their final eight fixtures to avoid their first relegation since finishing 19th in a 20-team league back in 2008-09.

Nantes understands that facing the league’s bottom team is a significant chance to secure their third away victory of the Ligue 1 season, but completing the task will not be straightforward for a team that hasn’t won away at Metz since September 2011.

Team News

Metz will be missing Ismael Guerti and Benjamin Stambouli due to injuries, while Alpha Toure is expected to serve a one-match suspension due to accumulating yellow cards.

Midfielder Boubacar Toure is considered a doubt as he missed the last two matches with an injury.

The hosts are also hoping that Gauthier Hein can prove his fitness after not participating in the draw against Rennes prior to the international break.

On the visitors’ side, they will be without Dehmaine Tabibou, who suffered a calf injury while on international duty with the França Under-21s.

Defender Fabien Centonze is likely to play at right wing-back after recovering from the injury that sidelined him for the defeat against Strasbourg.

Francis Coquelin is also set to make his comeback from injury, although he may have to start from the bench.

Metz probable starting XI:

Sy; Kouao, Sane, Yegbe, Colin; Gbamin, Deminguet; Sarr, Hein, Czechsville; Maybe

Nantes probable starting XI:

Lopes; Centonze, Awaziem, Tati, Cozza; Tabibou, Kaba, Sissoko, Lepenant, Abline; Ganago

Both teams will see Sunday’s match as a crucial opportunity to gather three points in their respective fights for survival.

Small margins may determine the outcome in this closely contested encounter, and the hosts could leverage home advantage to secure their fourth league victory of the season.