Bastia vs Guingamp preview - Cioni hails Bastia's character

Bastia coach Ghislain Printant wants his players to draw strength from the off-field problems of recent weeks when they take on Guingamp on Saturday.

The Corsicans have been barred from their home ground, the Stade Armand Cesari, after crowd trouble marred the match against bitter rivals Nice on March 7. After an initial suggestion by the club to play the match against Guingamp in Ajaccio was rejected by the French league, the game will now take place at the Stade Parsemain in Fos-sur-Mer on the French mainland.

Bastia defender Gilles Cioni says whoever imposed the sanctions "cannot love football" and his coach wants the players to focus their anger on getting a result.

"My players have to tap further into their resources to cope," he told French media.

"But they have such a character that they are capable of anything. They have a great strength, and it is to respond in adversity. The more you put obstacles in front of us, the more we will overcome. We have been through many difficult trials.

"It'll be something new for my group. But the Corsican never complains, they go into battle. On Saturday, I want us to respond with a victory."

A win for 12th-placed Bastia will lift them above Guingamp in the Ligue 1 standings, but Guingamp have won their last two away games - Concarneau in the Coupe de France and Nice in the league.

Defender Drissa Diakite and forward Giovanni Sio are both suspended for Bastia following their dismissals in the 3-0 defeat to Monaco in their last outing.