Nantes vs Lens preview

Posted Saturday, August 09, 2014 by PA

Nantes boss Michel Der Zakarian feels Lens counterpart Antoine Kombouare will have a "warrior spirit" instilled at the northern club and that their problems over the last few months will only see them approach the new Ligue 1 season with additional motivation.

Lens have had a difficult time since finishing second in Ligue 2 last term, with their promotion to the top-flight only rubber-stamped on appeal after it was initially prevented for a failure to provide sufficient financial guarantees.

The decision to permit their accession to the top-flight came with stringent financial sanctions and Lens are banned from signing new players until owner Hafiz Mammadov fulfils his commitment to inject funds into the club.

On Friday - the day before their Ligue 1 campaign starts with a trip to Nantes - Lens announced they had reached a deal with Amiens that will allow them to use the third-tier side's ground for home games this season.

It all adds up to a less-than-ideal-looking period of preparation over the summer, but Der Zakarian, quoted on www.rclens.fr, said at his pre-match press conference: "I think the turbulent off-season for Lens is not going to interfere.

"Instead, it will be an additional source of motivation for them."

Der Zakarian, whose side finished 13th in Ligue 1 last season, knows Kombouare well, having played with him for Nantes.

And he added: "I know Antoine Kombouare has fight in him and that he will back his troops.

"Lens will be ready to face us and they will not let anything drop from beginning to end.

"In addition to this warrior spirit they have, Lens are a team that will go on the attack very quickly, that have good collective control, and that have tall players - we must therefore be vigilant on set pieces.

"Antoine and I trained together and we played together.

"He is a charming man that I greatly appreciate. He is a warrior and a good leader.

"He instils values of combat wherever he goes and has got results at all the clubs he has led.

"I'm sure he and his players will be very well prepared for the first day of the championship."