D-1 before a crucial meeting for AS Saint-Étienne. The Greens are preparing to play the first leg of the play-off against OGC Nice this Tuesday to try to stay in Ligue 1, with the advantage of longer preparation than their opponent.
With eleven days of rest after qualifying against Rodez, the Saint-Etienne staff hope to benefit from better physical freshness. Conversely, the Aiglons arrive with a reduced recovery time after their Coupe de France final played against RC Lens, a factor which could weigh in the balance.
In terms of returns, Augustine Boakye is available again after his suspension, an important reinforcement for Philippe Montanier. On the other hand, several uncertainties persist, notably around Ben Old, while Djylian N’Guessan is out. Florian Tardieu returns but should not be fit to play the entire match.
Packages and uncertainties
“Ben Old is injured in his hamstrings and is uncertain. We will decide tomorrow after a final muscular awakening. Djylian N’Guessan is out. Florian Tardieu is back and that’s good news, even if we know he won’t be able to play a full match“, explained the Saint-Etienne coach at a press conference, quoted by The Team.
Finally, the situation also remains unclear concerning several players subject to the international constraints of Fifa dates:
“We are waiting, but we are adapting”. On the side of OGC Nice, uncertainties hover around several elements like Hicham Boudaoui, which could again reshuffle the cards a few hours before a lively barrage.
