Toulouse vs Nantes Preview & Prediction | 2024-25 French Ligue 1
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AC Milan’s ownership group, RedBird Capital Partners, have 85% control of Toulouse and seek to manage it in the same way as the Rossoneri with an emphasis on basically being smarter than everyone else. They kick off the 2024/25 campaign against a very differently run club in Nantes.
KICK-OFF DATE/TIME: Sunday 18th August, 2024 - UK – 4:00pm / US ET – 11:00am / US PT – 8:00am
HOW TO WATCH ON TV: UK – TBC / US – TBC
HOW TO WATCH ONLINE: UK – TBC / US – TBC
TOULOUSE PREVIEW: HAVING MORE FREEDOM
Last season, Toulouse played in the group stages of the UEFA Europa League after they won the 2022/23 Coupe de France in their first season following promotion back to the French top-flight. The home team found it difficult to play twice a week and were much-improved in the latter stages of the campaign once Benfica had knocked them out of the competition.
This season, with a clearer schedule, they will look to continue their rebuild and try to push towards the top-half of the table once again. They have made some intriguing signings over the summer with some recognisable faces joining the club, including centre-back Charlie Cresswell and right-back Djibril Sidibe.
NANTES PREVIEW: CIRCLING THE DRAIN
Last season, Nantes had three different managers at the helm as they fought against relegation for basically the entirety of the campaign but they eventually steered themselves clear of the drop with the return of Antoine Kombouare to the dugout following the departures of both Pierre Aristouy and Jocelyn Gourvennac.
Kombouare remains in charge of the club ahead of the 2024/25 campaign and they have experienced an intriguing summer transfer window. The likes of Eray Comert and Moussa Sissoko have departed but Tino Kadewere and Matthis Abline have completed permanent moves with Wales international Sorba Thomas and Johann Lepenant also joining on loan.
TOULOUSE TEAM NEWS: FULLY FIT
Former Kuwait U20 and Barcelona youth coach Carles Martinez Novell, who has been in charge of Toulouse since the start of last season, is blessed with a fully fit and available squad for this weekend.
As a youth coach of Barcelona, Carles Martinez Novell prefers the 4-3-3 system. He has bolstered his defensive ranks over the summer with the arrivals of Mark McKenzie and the aforementioned Sidibe.
PREDICTED XI (4-3-3): Restes; Sidibe, Cresswell, McKenzie, Gabriel Suazo; Sierro, Cristian Casseres Jr, Genreau; Aboukhlal, Magri, Donnum
UNAVAILABLE:
QUESTIONABLE:
NANTES TEAM NEWS: KEY ABSENTEES
Nantes have a few injury issues for this opening day with Bastien Meupiyou, who is heavily linked with a move to Wolverhampton Wanderers, still unavailable after missing a chunk of last season.
As well as Meupiyou, right-back Fabien Centonze is also unavailable, whilst key forward, Nigeria international Moses Simon, is also sidelined for the visitors.
PREDICTED XI (4-2-3-1): Lafont; Coco, Castelletto, Zeze, Duverne; Douglas Augusto, Lepenant; Kadewere, Thomas, Ganago; Mostafa Mohamed
UNAVAILABLE: Meupiyou (Injured), Centonze (Injured), Simon (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE:
TOULOUSE VS NANTES PREDICTION
The home team are an ambitious club off the pitch and they will be expected to challenge to the top-half this season. It wouldn’t be about the realms of possibility that Toulouse can also challenge for the UEFA competition. They now face a Nantes side that did improve a lot in the last couple of months of last season but whether that form can be sustained from the start of this season will be difficult so Toulouse, especially with home advantage, are expected to come out on top in this one.
TOULOUSE VS NANTES TIP: TOULOUSE TO WIN
