Coupe de France: Adams and Nordin still absent, Sylla back, the MHSC in search of “oxygen”

De retour de la CAN, Issiaga Sylla “sera dans le groupe” a annoncé Michel Der Zakarian. Midi Libre – JEAN-MICHEL MART

Montpellier coach, Michel Der Zakarian, approaches the round of 16 of the Coupe de France against Nice, full of ambition, this Wednesday February 7. Deprived of six players, he recovers the Guinean full-back. 

The meetings collide, but Montpellier does not deviate from the Coupe de France. "As I said at the start of the competition, we want to qualify and go to the quarter-finals. When you win matches, it gives you confidence. This gives pep and oxygen to everyone", clarifies Michel Der Zakarian on the eve of the round of 16 of the Coupe de France on Wednesday (20 h 30) at La Mosson opposite Nice.

For now, the Montpellier coach is focusing on the Coupe de France, highlighted at all levels of the club since the dawn of the season. Then, he will look at the two championship matches against Lyon on Sunday, then Metz on February 18. "We will indeed have two important matches with teams who are in the fight with us, two matches that we will have to win" , recalls the coach of a Hérault team ranked in 13th place, with only three points ahead of the play-off player.

Sacko and Kouyaté return to Montpellier this Tuesday

To face Nice, Der Zak will be without six players. Arnaud Nordin, hit in the right thigh before Lille (0-0), and Akor Adams, victim of lower back pain, are treating their injuries. Winger Mousa Tamari plays in the semi-final of the Asian Cup in the afternoon against South Korea.

And the two Malian defenders, Falaye Sacko and "Kiki" Kouyaté, are returning to Montpellier on Tuesday afternoon and will not be available.

Only the Guinean left side Issiaga Sylla, eliminated Friday in the quarter-final of the African Cup of Nations by the Republic of Congo of Dimitri Bertaud (3-1), "will be in the group".

Deprived of Moffi and Boga, at CAN, Nice less sovereign

Nice is no longer in the league of Paris SG in Ligue 1, but it still occupies second place. A little less sovereign, but still solid. "Nice lost players who left for the CAN, important players like others are for us. Their attackers are not there. However, Nice is still solid, it doesn't concede many goals, it's up to us to break the deadlock. It will be a difficult match", warns Der Zak.

Ivorian winger Jérémie Boga and Nigerian center forward Terem Moffi, starters during Nice's last match at La Mosson (0-0) on November 10, s& #39;are preparing to play the semi-finals of the CAN in the hope of challenging themselves in the final on Sunday in Abidjan. To each his own Cup.