Na serious battle dey ground as HAC dey prepare to face FC Metz for Stade Oceane this Sunday. Di match na for 31st week of Ligue 1, and both sides get different wahala.
For HAC side, dem dey 14th with 30 points, but di table no too comfortable. Coach Didier Digard don talk say win na must, no be option. ‘We no suppose lose, but we must win,’ e yarn for press conference. ‘We don put ourselves for situation where we hope to finish di work. We get team wey dey give everything for every match, and we go do everything to achieve our goal.’
Di match come at critical time because after this, HAC go face top 10 teams like Lille, Marseille and Lorient. So dem need to pick maximum points against Metz, wey be bottom team with only 15 points. But Digard no dey carry am as easy match. ‘E go be battle,’ e warn.
However, HAC go miss some key players. Arouna Sangante dey suspended, and Stephan Zagadou don injure im knee for training on Wednesday. Also, Félix Mambimbi, Abdoulaye Touré and Rassoul Ndiaye dey out due to injury. For defense, Ayumu Seko go take position, and Loïc Nego go return to right side after being substitute for last two matches. Mory Diaw go still dey for goal.
For midfield, Lucas Gourna no go start; e go dey among substitutes for first time since im loan from RB Salzburg. Instead, Simon Ebonog, Rassoul Ndiaye and Sofiane Boufal go dey for middle. Behind dem, Fodé Doucouré, Samatta and Soumaré go lead attack.
Over to Metz side, dem get plenty injury problems. Eight players dey out: Ousmane Ba, Fodé Ballo-Touré, Maxime Colin, Habib Diallo, Cléo Mélières, Joseph Mangondo, Believe Munongo and Boubacar Traoré. So coach Benoît Tavenot don call only 19 players for trip to Le Havre. Good news be say Giorgi Abuashvili don recover from injury and go replace Habib Diallo for squad.
For attack, Giorgi Kvilitaia wey score im first goal last week go likely start. Benjamin Stambouli fit return to starting lineup for midfield, while Jean-Philippe Gbamin go move to central defense. Bouna Sarr wey come as substitute against Paris FC fit also start as left-back.
Di match go happen Sunday, 26 April 2026, at 5:15 PM for Stade Oceane. HAC fans go dey important to push di team, as Digard don call on dem for support. ‘We no fit succeed alone for pitch,’ e yarn. But e also beg fans to no abuse players if tings no go well, because remaining matches still plenty.
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