Nantes are in “last-chance saloon” as the second-bottom side attempt to shock Paris Saint-Germain and keep their bid to beat the drop in Ligue 1 intact, says PSG manager Luis Enrique.
La Maison Jaune, who reappointed Vahid Halilhodzic for a second spell as manager last month, are five points from safety with a match in hand on third-bottom Auxerre and five games of their season remaining.
“Playing against the struggling sides is really hard,” Luis Enrique explained, discussing the challenge of facing imperilled teams towards the end of campaigns.
“Last season, we drew [1-1] at home to Nantes. We want to get a good result but it isn’t easy to win 4-0 or 5-0.”
PSG had conceded one goal in total across six consecutive wins in all competitions before losing 2-1 at home to Lyon on Saturday, putting the reigning champions a point above Lens at the top of the table with a game in hand.
Nantes have won one of their last 13 matches in all competitions and none of their last six, although they have drawn their last three and were only denied a home victory over Brest by Brendan Chardonnet’s 96th-minute equaliser on Sunday, when Halilhodzic was infuriated by midfielder Dehmaine Tabibou’s second-half dismissal.
The Bosnian and Herzegovinian was also sent off for his reaction to the incident and has now been banned for four matches after confronting the match officials, adding in a post-match interview (via L’Equipe) that he was “done with football”.
“We lost two points that perhaps would have given us a little more hope,” the 73-year-old said of the result.
“We have to pull off an exceptional feat: win against Paris Saint-Germain, win [away to fifth-placed] Rennes [on Sunday].
“We’ll continue to the end for the honour of the club, the honour of the jersey. We can [recover], but against the best team in the world… we can’t afford another thrashing.”
Une frappe limpide.
La réalisation de notre buteur @mmostafa_11 🇪🇬🏹 pic.twitter.com/FzvkgvHdXu
— FC Nantes (@FCNantes) April 20, 2026
PSG v Nantes team news
Left-back Nuno Mendes (muscle), midfielder Vitinha (heel) and forward Quentin Ndjantou (hamstring) are injured for PSG.
Fabian Ruiz came off the bench against Lyon as the midfielder continues his return from injury and 18-year-old forward Ibrahim Mbaye has returned to the squad.
Right-backs Fabien Centonze (knee) and Kelvin Amian (groin) and centre-backs Tylel Tati (thigh) and Abakar Sylla (knee) are sidelined for Nantes.
Francis Coquelin is also out after being substituted at half-time against Brest with a thigh injury and Mohamed Kaba (muscle) is sidelined, but fellow midfielder Tabibou can play after having his red card changed to a caution.
Playmaker Remy Cabella (hamstring) is unavailable. Eric Blahic will deputise for Halilhodzic and suspended assistant Patrick Collot in the technical area.
