In a season, there are appointments not to be missed. For Nantes and Bordeaux supporters, an FCN – FCGB always has a special flavor. But this Sunday April 24, 2022, Nantes could have the malicious pleasure of sinking its Girondin rival, author of a cataclysmic exercise.
Remember. The 2006-2007 and then 2008-2009 seasons remain to this day as the only ones in which FC Nantes experienced relegation to Ligue 2. During these difficult years, the Girondins de Bordeaux were on top, even winning their last league title. de France in 2009. Thirteen years later, Nantes is – finally – having an interesting season in the top flight, while Bordeaux, on the edge of the abyss, is on the verge of descending to Ligue 2 for the first time since 1991. Suffice to say that after the mockery suffered in the early 2010s, some Nantes supporters would be delighted to send the rival to purgatory…
The game
Defeated in Marseille after leading twice, Antoine Kombouaré’s men must set the record straight. Opposite is Bordeaux, whose last away victory dates back to December 12, in Troyes. The opportunity to regain success, which has fled Nantes since the trip to Clermont in early April (3-2 victory).
The form
Nantes side: after raising their heads in Clermont, the Yellow and Green chained two draws against lower ranked teams (Brest then Angers). With a reshuffled workforce, the FCN lost a goal at the Vélodrome (3-2), after leading twice (2-1 at halftime). Nantes has lost only one of its last twelve games at La Beaujoire, and logically starts in the shoes of the favorite this Sunday.
Bordeaux side: the draw conceded at home against Saint-Etienne, after leading by two goals, hurt. However, at Matmut Atlantique, the Bordelais remained on their first victory of the Guion era, obtained against Metz (3-1). On the move, as seen above, the Girondins remain in terrible form, with only two points taken out of 18 possible in 2021.
Last confrontations
In the first leg, Pedro Chirivella released his side at the end of the match, to get the point of a draw (1-1) and extend Nantes’ good series against the Girondins. The FCN, then on a commando mission, had indeed won 3-0 at La Beaujoire last year, after a 0-0 at Matmut Atlantique on the first day. Of the last three Bordeaux appearances at La Beaujoire, Nantes won twice for one defeat.
The team
The probable group: Descamps, Lafont – Appiah, Girotto, Corchia, M’Bemba, Sylla, Fabio – Cyprien, Blas, Doucet, Merlin, Moutoussamy – Augustin, Bukari, Coulibaly, Geubbels, Manvelyan, Kolo Muani, Simon.
The probable composition (3-5-2): Lafont – Appiah, Girotto, Castelletto – Corchia, Cyprien, Blas, Moutoussamy, Merlin – Kolo Muani, Simon.
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