Antoine Kombouaré, who managed to keep FC Nantes against Toulouse in a knife dam a few weeks ago, expects a lot from this opening meeting against AS Monaco, favorite in the title race this season in L1: “The objective is to find a competitive, solid team, capable of causing problems for the opponent. We know that by going to Monaco, it’s a difficult first match that awaits us. I think that ‘ we will have to wait three, four matches to see the value and the level of the group ” said the technician Kanak before adding a word on the preparation: “We often had changes during our matches but we were able to work on different aspects. Defensively, because we took at least one goal in each game except against Guingamp”. The partners of Renaud Emond recorded a negative result this summer including a last defeat against the promoted, Clermont.
A 2020/2021 season to forget
Despite the last very complicated exercise, the former PSG coach has unfailing confidence in his players and let them know before the start of the L1 championship this weekend as he expressed it in press conference : “I have confidence and I love my players. I have confidence in what they have done and in what they are going to do. It is absolute confidence. After that, what is interesting with the competition, c ‘is that the matches will give us answers. But regardless of the results, I know that I have a good squad, with good guys (sic) and quality players. Normally, with these associations, we have to be able to have a good championship. Whatever the start of the season “.
A group that has not strengthened itself
Certainties, Kombouaré has some since he leaves with an almost unchanged group. Rémy Descamps in the cages and Wylan Cyprien in the midfield are for the moment the only official reinforcements while several players have packed their bags: Imran Louza, Thomas Basila, Batista Mendy, Elie Youan or Lucas Evangelista. The departures of Ludovic Blas and Moses Simon cannot be ruled out even if they are present at La Jonelière.
Alban Lafont, appointed captain, should stay but the position around Randal Kolo Muani is more blurred: “The transfer window ends on August 31. We will see. Regarding Randal (Kolo Muani), if he is brought to leave we will find a solution to replace him”. While he will be in the group to face the Monegasques, only Kalifa Coulibaly is missing, injured and absent for several weeks. And are other reinforcements planned? In any case, Kombouaré does not make it a priority: “I know how it will go: the championships will resume and depending on the results, it can stretch in the clubs and therefore move. The end of the transfer window brings us to movements.”
Photo credit: FC Nantes / Arnaud Duret
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