Football Season Guide

Nantes hit some unexpected highs last season as they spent much of the early part of the campaign in the top three before falling away quite dramatically before the term was cancelled early. Indeed, they won only one of their last eight matches. Head coach Christian Gourcuff will want to correct the errors his side made during that slide, although their preparations for the new season have been hampered by an outbreak of coronavirus in the squad, which has seen several friendlies cancelled and training reconfigured. While this may hamper the Breton side in the early part of the campaign, they can at least be boosted in the knowledge that their squad has not been transformed over the summer. Winger Moses Simon’s stay at the club has been made permanent, while an additional defensive midfield presence has been added by way of Spanish midfielder Pedro Chirivella from Liverpool, and Jean-Charles Castelletto’s arrival from Brest has shored up the defensive line. Gourcuff rarely varies the way his side go out to play, with a focus on technical possession football, though sometimes they are too slow in their use of the ball to be incisive. Charged with opening up the opponents is Imran Louza, who enjoyed a breakthrough campaign last time out. Frustratingly for Nantes, they have thus far lacked a centre-forward of quality, with Renaud Emond struggling since arriving in January and Kalifa Coulibaly ungainly and unreliable. The attacking midfielders will have a role to play with the return of Marcus Coco from long-term injury a major boost. Nantes’ defence, meanwhile, may lack big-name players, but they have generally been a reliable group, with Andre Girotto standing out beside Nicolas Pallois since being moved back there from midfield. Albin Lafont remains in goal, but there have been questions asked over the 21-year-old, whose form was distinctly erratic last term.