After a good start to the season, Luka Elsner is looking to arrest the slide. Les Ciel et Marine have not won since beating Toulouse FC 2-1 on 5th November, and have lost their last two Ligue 1 matches. Le Havre looked to have secured a point against RC Strasbourg Alsace at the Meinau, however, Abakar Sylla’s 97th-minute winner snatched the point from Elsner’s grasp. 

Alioui is set to return to the starting XI as they host Nice. He will partner with Lille OSC loanee Mohamed Bayo. Samuel Grandsir and Josué Casimir could both drop to the bench, having started in that loss to Strasbourg. 

Le Havre likely lineup v Nice

Arthur Desmas; Christopher Operi, Gauthier Lloris, Étienne Youte, Arouna Sangante; Yassine Kechta, Abdoulaye Touré, Oussama Targhalline, Loïc Négo; Mohamed Bayo, Nabil Alioui. (L’Éq)

GFFN | Luke Entwistle

Farioli doesn’t have any fresh injury concerns to contend with. Sofiane Diop, Badredine Bouanani and Khéphren Thuram were all absent from last weekend’s win over Reims. The latter underwent tests on a knee injury, sustained in training, this week. Those tests have allayed the worst fears, but the France international midfielder will nonetheless be out until early 2024. 

Nice’s side has been settled for much of the season, and understandably so given the results. However, Gaëtan Laborde has been switched over with Terem Moffi in recent weeks, and it is once again the former that is expected to be played through the middle. Moffi will likely play on the right. 

Nice likely lineup v Le Havre

Marcin Bulka; Melvin Bard, Dante, Jean-Clair Todibo, Jordan Lotomba; Morgan Sanson, Youssouf Ndayishimiye, Badredine Bouanani; Jérémie Boga, Gaëtan Laborde, Terem Moffi. 

GFFN | Luke Entwistle

L’Équipe reports that the former Crystal Palace manager should make three changes from the side that rescued a point away at Brest last time out in the French top flight. Vieira is set to award Emanuel Emegha with a starting berth after his heroics against Brest from the bench – scoring a late equaliser to secure a point. The reintroduction of Emegha should see Mothiba drop to the bench. 

The former Arsenal and Manchester City midfielder should reinstate Junior Mwanga to the Strasbourg midfield with Ismaël Doukouré unavailable due to injury. Vieira is also expected to make one change in defence with Thomas Delaine replacing Frédéric Guilbert at full back. 

Strasbourg likely XI vs Le Havre: 

Mats Sels – Marvin Senaya, Lucas Perrin, Abakar Sylla, Thomas Delaine –  Ibrahima Sissoko, Junior Mwanga – Dilane Bakwa, Kevin Gameiro, Habib Diarra – Emanuel Emegha. 

GFFN | Liam Wraith

It was only for a few minutes at the end of their 3-0 victory over Olympique Lyonnais but it surely represented more for a player who had been left frustrated watching his team from the sidelines. As Gueye stated, in a post-match interview, are by RMC Sport, ‘”It was a complicated moment because I couldn’t help my teammates.”

The midfielder had been serving a ban following his actions in his transfer from Le Havre AC to Marseille. Gueye had signed a pre-contract agreement with Watford before reneging on that deal to join the Les Phocéens. 

Watford appealed the player’s decision and the FIFA ruling of a ban for four months was ratified this summer leaving the Senegalese international in a difficult situation coming into this season, as Gueye reflected on his journey back to the pitch: “I had a personal trainer with me every day. On the pitch it was difficult, I had to grit my teeth. But as the matches go on, I think I’m going to get better and better.”

The player will look to expand on his season debut with Marseille and try to help the club after their slow start to the campaign, with the club currently sitting in eighth. 

GFFN | Nick Hartland

Zohouri features in an exciting crop of Le Havre talents, including under-17 World Cup star Mohammed Hamony (17), who performed outstandingly for Morocco during the tournament. The French midfielder has already made two appearances for France’s youth squads, scoring one goal.

Zohouri to join an impressive list of Le Havre academy graduates

The Le Havre academy is renowned for producing many top talents, with the likes of Paul Pogba (30), Riyad Mahrez (32), Ferland Mendy (28), and more recently Loïc Badé (23), Amir Richardson (21) and Saël Kumbedi (18) having all come through their ranks. If he makes the most of his talent, Zohoury could also feature in the list in the future, though he has a long way ahead of him.

Some other top European clubs seem to have their eyes on the Franco-Ivorian, though no other names have been revealed as of yet.

GFFN | Alfred Lalande

Whilst Lyon are yet to appoint a permanent manager in the wake of the sacking of Fabio Grosso, a large-scale restricting is taking place. Vincent Ponsot and Bruno Cheyrou are amongst those to leave their positions at OL, whilst Laurent Prud’homme (CEO) and David Friio have arrived. 

Since Friday, the latter has occupied the role of sporting director. However, according to Molina, Les Gones attempted to recruit Le Havre’s Bodmer. The Frenchman has masterminded Les Ciel et Marine’s rise from Ligue 2. This season, the club have been a surprise package and despite highly limited resources, the club sit 10th, just one point behind Olympique de Marseille. 

Bodmer was approached by Lyon, but the Le Havre sporting director responded that he did not wish to leave the club mid-season, meaning that OL turned their attention to Friio.

GFFN | Luke Entwistle

The Italian goalkeeper made contact with Casimir after coming rushing out of his goal to clear a ball in behind. Donnarumma was therefore shown a straight red card for the dangerous tackle. The rash moment proceeded a scare just minutes earlier with Carlos Soler saving a Gautier Lloris effort off the line. Donnarumma was replaced by Arnau Tenas, who came on to make his debut for Les Parisiens. 

Luis Enrique assumes responsibility for Donnarumma’s expulsion

Despite Donnarumma’s red card, PSG went on to win the match 2-0 and extend their lead at the top of the Ligue 1 table after OGC Nice slipped up the night before. Donnarumma’s reckless tackle could, however, have cost PSG the points, but Luis Enrique took the blame for the incident and absolved his goalkeeper of responsibility. 

“There is no problem with Gigio,” began Luis Enrique in a post-match press conference, transcribed by L’Équipe. “This incident shows more of a problem in the defensive line than the goalkeeper and it is me who asks that the goalkeeper cover the space, so if anyone is responsible, it’s me. Most of the time, it goes well. When it doesn’t go well, it’s my problem. Gigio did what asked of him.”

GFFN | Luke Entwistle

The Italian goalkeeper made contact with Casimir after coming rushing out of his goal to clear a ball in behind. Donnarumma was therefore shown a straight red card for the dangerous tackle. The rash moment proceeded a scare just minutes earlier with Carlos Soler saving a Gautier Lloris effort off the line. Donnarumma was replaced by Arnau Tenas, who came on to make his debut for Les Parisiens. 

Watch the clip below

With Tenas coming on, it was Bradley Barcola, who was making a surprise start against Les Ciel et Marines who made way. Despite being at a numerical disadvantage, PSG nonetheless took the lead through Kylian Mbappé (24), who has now scored 15 Ligue 1 goals this season. 

PSG suffered another blow with Fabian Ruiz having to be taken off the pitch on a stretcher after suffering a suspected dislocated shoulder.

GFFN | Luke Entwistle

Asensio’s last start for PSG came on 3rd September against Olympique Lyonnais. The Spaniard was then injured on international duty and he has since been slowly working his way back to fitness. After a short cameo against Newcastle United in midweek, he now looks set to return to the starting XI, with neither Randal Kolo Muani nor Gonçalo Ramos set to start. 

There are no returnees for Les Parisiens. Marquinhos is still not fit enough to start after picking up a niggle during the November international break. Nuno Mendes and Presnel Kimpembe are nearing returns but neither will be fit enough to feature against Luka Elsner’s side. Warren Zaïre-Emery is recovering from an ankle sprain and won’t feature until 2024. 

PSG likely lineup v Le Havre

Gianluigi Donnarumma; Nordi Mukiele, Lucas Hernandez, Milan Skriniar, Achraf Hakimi; Vitinha, Manuel Ugarte, Fabián Ruiz; Kylian Mbappé, Marco Asensio, Ousmane Dembélé. (L’Éq)

GFFN | Luke Entwistle

Currently in Indonesia for the u-17 World Cup, the Moroccan team are one step from achieving the same result as the senior side in Qatar: reaching the semi-final. Indeed, after finishing first of their group by beating both Indonesia and Panama, the u-17s progressed to the round of 16, where they faced Iran. After a hard-fought clash, the result was decided by the fate of penalties, which saw Morocco come out on top.

Another wonderkid for an exciting Moroccan generation

Mohammed Hamony has played a key role in his team’s success so far. Following a man-of-the-match-winning performance in the opening game against Panama, he also pulled off a dominant showing against Indonesia, where he scored a goal, but more importantly was simply unstoppable on the left flank, completing two take-ons and giving seven key passes throughout the match, according to Sofascore.

When asked about Morocco’s outstanding run in the 2022 World Cup, the young winger told FIFA: “What they did set a new standard for us! We want to go further and make history and make the Moroccan people even prouder.” The young Atlas Lions will be looking to continue their excellent run in their quarter-final clash against a very impressive Mali side, tomorrow.

As for Mohammed Hamony, he will be returning to his club Le Havre after the end of the competition, for whom he has yet to play with the first team. No doubt that his outstanding tournament will have caught the eye of HAC coach Luka Elsner, who might already be thinking of giving the young Moroccan a shot in the second half of the season. That is if he remains at the club this winter.

GFFN | Alfred Lalande