AS Saint-Etienne – RC Lens (Saturday, 5 p.m.)
ASSE: Three absent due to Covid, a decimated defense
After the postponement of the match against Angers SCO, the Greens are launching their second part of the season against RC Lens. They will have to do without five players who left for CAN: Denis Bouanga, Harold Moukoudi, Saïdou Sow, Wahbi Khazri and Yvan Neyou. Pascal Dupraz will also have to compose without three players affected by the Covid. ” They were five affected a few days ago but two have made a comeback (Ramirez and Krasso) and will therefore be eligible for the match against Lens “Said the ASSE coach. The defense could be decimated and this could precipitate the return to competition of Joris Gnagnon, announced out of form. On the side of the absent: we will have to wait a little longer before seeing the return to the group of Romain Hamouma and Etienne Green, both still in the recovery phase.
RCL: All lights green
RC Lens recovered at the start of 2022. By brushing aside LOSC in the Coupe de France, then defeating Stade Rennais in Ligue 1 Uber Eats (1-0). In the Cauldron, the Blood and Gold will be looking for their second clean sheet in a row, which has not happened to them since the fall of 2010 in the top flight. Coach Franck Haise will be able to count on a whole group, only deprived of his two internationals who left for CAN (Massadio Haïdara and Ignatius Ganago). In addition, no case of Covid has come to thwart the artesian plans. Even the rumors about an interest of English clubs in midfielder and captain Seko Fofana were not likely to destabilize the Blood and Gold, said the technician from Lens.
Paris Saint-Germain – Stade Brestois 29 (Saturday, 9 p.m.)
PSG: Messi uncertain, the Covid still present
The leader of the championnat de France receives the SB29 without its Brazilian leader Neymar, still recovering a months and a half after a sprained left ankle, and probably without his Argentinian superstar Lionel Messi. The seven-fold Golden Ball, affected by Covid-19 during the winter break, returned to France last week after a few days spent in Argentina, but he continues to train separately. According to ESPN Argentina, it would already be forfeited for the reception of the Brestois. Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, French defender Layvin Kurzawa and Argentine striker Angel Di Maria, who tested positive last week, were however present Thursday at Camp des Loges, the Parisian training center, according to photos released by the club. . PSG are also still deprived of Moroccan Achraf Hakimi and Senegalese Abdou Diallo and Idrissa Gueye, all three entered in the African Cup of Nations.
SB29: Maybe almost complete
Michel Der Zakarian currently has an almost complete group, if the Covid does not get involved. Besides Haris Belkebla who left for CAN with Algeria, only Romain Del Castillo (adductors) and Sébastien Cibois (Achilles tendon) are forfeited. But while the club had been spared by the cases of Covid which have affected many clubs in recent weeks, the coach announced on Thursday that Stade Brestois 29 would no longer communicate on this subject. ” The doctor decided that we would not communicate on this. We were tested this Thursday morning, and it will be done again Friday morning, we do not say if we have cases “, did he declare.