Montpellier vs Metz preview - Stambouli ruled out

Posted Friday, August 22, 2014 by PA

Montpellier head coach Rolland Courbis has ruled in-demand midfielder Benjamin Stambouli out of Saturday's Ligue 1 meeting with Metz as rumours continue to swirl around the player's future.

The former France Under-21 international has been linked with both Barclays Premier League club Swansea and Fiorentina of Serie A and is understood to prefer a move to Wales.

Courbis is keen to avoid any unnecessary distractions as he pits La Paillade against Ligue 2 champions Metz at the Stade de la Mosson and will therefore leave Stambouli out his squad for the next two league games.

He told a press conference: "Benjamin Stambouli will not be part of the 18 against Metz, or against Nantes."

Paraguay striker Lucas Barrios, signed on a season-long loan from Spartak Moscow last week, made his debut in a 2-0 victory at Marseille that earned Montpellier their first points, and he should start alongside Kevin Berigaud.

"We will use Berigaud and Barrios as a partnership as they look like they will be effective together," added Courbis.

"The team that will start this match will be better than the one that started the season against Bordeaux (a 1-0 home defeat).

"We have been thinking more about that game we lost to Bordeaux than about the one we won against Marseille."

Defender Abdelhamid El Kaoutari is targeting a first home win of the new campaign after playing all 90 minutes and helping to keep a clean sheet at the Stade Velodrome last weekend.

"Metz remain unbeaten so we cannot take this match lightly," said the Moroccan.

"I'm happy with my first appearance of the season and when I get picked I always try to do my best.

"We will do our best here. It will be a very good game and we are yet to win at home."

North-east outfit Metz have put two points on the board by securing back-to-back draws on their return to the top flight.

Les Grenats held Lille to a goalless draw on the opening weekend and were then unlucky not to beat Nantes, instead settling for a 1-1 result last Saturday.

Coach Albert Cartier told L'Equipe: "I think that game was encouraging for our future. The final result makes sense to me.

"We are continuing to learn about life in Ligue 1 and that is what the players will just have to do."