Our prediction for this Ligue 1 match:
Lens will be eager to bounce back when they host Nantes at Stade Bollaert-Delelis, following consecutive losses to Lille and PSG. Despite facing tough opponents recently, Lens are determined to get back on track, and this match presents a nice opportunity for a home win. Les Sang et Or will benefit from the return of defender Facundo Medina from suspension, although Abdukodir Khusanov and M’Bala Nzola are banned for the game.
Nantes, meanwhile, head into this encounter on the back of defensive struggles, having conceded five goals in total in defeats to Strasbourg (1-3) and Marseille (1-2). The absence of midfielder Nathan Zeze due to suspension and Johann Lepenant through injury further weakens Les Canaris’ chances. Given Lens’ quality and home advantage, we predict that the visitors are going to return to Pays de la Loire empty-handed.
Highlighted Player (Angelo Fulgini):
Angelo Fulgini is a French footballer who plays for Angers in Ligue as a midfielder. Fulgini played for the likes of AS de Saint-Paul-en-Foret, FC Vidauban, SC Douai and Valenciennes during his youth career and he continued playing for the Athenians at senior level.
After scoring eight goals in 80 appearances for Valenciennes from 2015 to 2017, he moved to Angers before the start of the 2017/2018 Ligue 1 campaign and he quickly established himself as a first-team regular at Stade Raymond-Kopa. Angelo Fulgini scored his first ever goal for les Scoistes on August 6, 2017 in a 2-2 draw with Bordeaux. Despite being born in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, on August 20, 1996, the Angers midfielder represents France on the international stage.
Angelo Fulgini has 3 caps for the France U21 team, while making 15 appearances for the U19 team. His main position is central midfield, but he is uses as both right-back and right midfielder as well. His preferred foot is right.
Highlighted Team (Nantes):
Founded on April 21, 1943 Nantes is a professional football club that compete in French Ligue 1. Les Canaris are considered one of the most famous French clubs and they had a lot of success during the sixties and the seventies. Nantes won their first Ligue 1 title in the 1964/1965 season and 36 years later (2000/2001) they clinched their eighth (last) domestic trophy.
Speaking of the club’s European success, les Canaris did well to make it to the Champions League semis in 1996, but Italian giants Juventus proved to be a big catch for the French outfit. Nantes welcome their rivals at La Beaujoire-Louis Fonteneau and the capacity of the stadium is 38.004.
The likes of Vahid Halilhodzic, Adel Selimi, Michel Der Zakarian, Viorel Moldovan, Mario Yepes, Marcel Desailly, Didier Deschamps, Claude Makelele, Christian Karembeu and Dimitri Payet are the notable footballers who played for the club in the past. Nantes are well known for their yellow jerseys and that is the reason why they are nicknamed the Canaries (les Canaris).