Toulouse vs Caen preview - Casanova expects Caen to be safe

Toulouse coach Alain Casanova has tipped promoted Caen to comfortably retain their Ligue 1 status ahead of the teams' meeting at the Stadium Municipal on Saturday evening.

Caen finished third in Ligue 2 last term to return to the top tier having been relegated in 2012, and Casanova believes the Normandy club - under the guidance of Patrice Garande - will have no problems staying up.

"I know Patrice Garande is a very well organised and pragmatic coach," Casanova said on club website www.tfc.info.

"The season will be good because they want to continue their rise in Ligue 1, in contrast to their previous seasons in the top flight.

"This year they really have the group mentality to maintain (their Ligue 1 status) easily.

"I spent time with (Garande) in 2005-2006 doing the DEPF (French coaching badges). He was a great striker, an Olympic champion (with France in 1984) and he has become a great coach. He was able to coach in the lower leagues (first at Cherbourg), then was Caen assistant (for seven years until 2012) and has now been able to put his ideas perfectly into practice."

The teams head into this weekend's game having both won two and lost three of their opening five matches this season - a record which, on TFC's part, leaves Casanova baffled.

"Some matches, one wonders how it is possible we have not taken points," he said. "This team has great potential, is in very good condition and the players have good attitudes. We feel like we can have a great season in the league and cup."

Garande felt his side should have got something out of last weekend's game, but went down 1-0 at St Etienne thanks to Jean-Jacques Pierre's second-half own goal.

"We deserved better, but we will learn from this setback," he said.

Caen face champions Paris St Germain and Marseille in their next two home games, but the coach will tell his players to focus only on toppling Toulouse for the time being.

"I do not look beyond Saturday," he said. "PSG and Marseille are not games that are harder to prepare for.

"Toulouse are an experienced team, well organised and full of potential. Offensively, they have what it takes."