Amount that can for Montpellier undermined by absences and injuries before playing at Amiens

Amount that can for Montpellier undermined by absences and injuries before playing at Amiens

Un temps incertain, Akor Adams est bien du voyage en Picardie, où il tentera de marquer son premier but depuis le 1er octobre. Midi Libre – JEAN MICHEL MART

Toujours diminué par de très nombreuses absences, le MHSC lance son année à Amiens (L2), ce samedi 6 janvier (18h) en Coupe de France.

"For us, for you, health." With a smile, Michel Der Zakarian launched his year and his press conference with wishes on Thursday. The Montpellier HSC coach could have added “for my squad” this one has so many glitches. New Year's resolutions haven't changed anything. This Saturday, he arrived in Amiens with Akor Adams, uncertain weather, but without ten of his professional players (read elsewhere). Not the ideal start to 2024 and an adventure in the Coupe de France that he hopes will be long. Starting with the Somme with those who can.

Premiere for Hefti, Adams in balance ?

Faced with ten absences, Michel Der Zakarian will line up a revised eleven this Saturday. In addition to the tenures of Coulibaly and Lecomte, announced by the technician on Thursday, rookie Hefti should start on the right of a back four defense. With Mincarelli and Sainte-Luce injured, Estève should find a left-back position there. In attack, Adams, uncertain this week due to a painful back, could be replaced by Yeboah.
In Amiens, Daf should also return to a four-way system, with a new Urhoghide-Kaïboue hinge.
 

"The Cup is a goal. I told the players, we have to have the ambition to go as far as possible and why not to win it, explained the Hérault coach. Toulouse won it last year, why not us this year." Der Zak has a memory. His own, with a victory under the MHSC jersey in 1990. And that of a club which has made the oldest competition a showcase to shine.

Pau and Amiens 2003, not to be forgotten

The assertion has taken on a few wrinkles in recent times. Except for a semi-final lost at La Mosson against PSG on penalties (2-2, 4-5 tab), in the middle of Covid-19 and in 2021, Montpellier has not taken a quarter in ten years. When he simply did not pitifully come off the road as soon as he entered the fray, like last year in Pau (Ligue 2, 2-1).

A year almost to the day later, chance brought a second division club back to Hérault. "I hope that we have learned the lesson of Pau. The Cup is never easy but we are very focused, we have prepared well for this match, promises Léo Leroy, back like Wahbi Khazri in a group that really needs it.

"There is no easy match in football. It’s the only sport in the world where any team can beat the other. We must respect what we have in front of us." Der Zak has warned his men and if he really has a memory, he will have reminded them of a disappointment he experienced up close at the Unicorn.

On January 4, 2003, then assistant coach of Gérard Bernardet, the current coach Pailladin had witnessed the elimination of the MHSC in Amiens (5-3 ap), already in the 32nd finals , despite a double from Bruno Carotti.

The past does not predict the present. But he reminds us that La Paillade will have to be careful. And finally find yourself a lost strike force at the end of the year. Without Téji Savanier, suspended, or Mousa Tamari, gone to the Asian Cup, she will be chasing a first goal in the game for eight matches and on October 29.

In Picardy, recruits Tanguy Coulibaly, in sight against OM (1-1), and Silvan Hefti, right back arrived this week, should have the opportunity to highlight themselves. Under the gaze of a group of kids who are past the age of dreaming of a unicorn but could well help to conquer one this Saturday. Not so wishful thinking.

Amiens between CAN and breakdown

Reunions and many unknowns. This Saturday, the MHSC will meet its former player Kylian Kaïboue in Picardy but also an Amiens Sporting Club escorted by many questions. L2 club most impacted by the African Cup of Nations with four players retained, Amiens must now cope without its central hinge Fofana-Opoku.

His coach, Omar Daf, does not share at all (the) comments of a Michel Der Zakarian who is not a fan of the date of the African competition and its impact on the players . But the technician must now add a defense to rebuild to a broken down offensive sector (18th attack in L2), also deprived of his playing master Gaël Kakuta, Current 12th and winner of two of his last fourteen championship matches, the ;ASC would have been fine. To hope for a “big match”, Daf will rely in particular on Kaïboue. Trained at the MHSC where he arrived at the age of 7, the versatile player left Hérault in 2021 for Bastia.

In Picardy, he moves from midfield to defense, where he could start this Saturday. Further up, Andy Carroll (34) should also start. The former Liverpool and Newcastle striker arouses curiosity. But if he is a UFO in L2, the English international (9 caps, 2 goals) is struggling to establish himself (3 goals in 16 matches).

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