NANTES HEAD COACH ANTOINE KOMBOUARÉ: “THE JUVENTUS GAME ? I DON’T GIVE A TOSS”

FC Nantes head coach Antoine Kombouaré (59) has indicated that he does not “give a toss” yet about their upcoming Europa League game against Juventus on February 16th at Turin’s Allianz Stadium. The second leg will be played a week later at Stade de la Beaujoire. Nantes qualified for the playoff rounds after finishing runners-up of Group G behind SC Freiburg, and were drawn against the Italian giants, who finished third in Champions League’s Group H behind Paris Saint-Germain and Benfica. In typical no-nonsense Kombouaré style, the FC Nantes boss stated that he and Les Canaris should focus on their next domestic games, in a press conference Ouest-France attended following Nantes’ win against Ajaccio.

Coupe de France holders Nantes will face Angers at Stade Raymond-Kopa in a last 16 tie on Wednesday. Then, Nantes will host Ligue 1’s surprise package Lorient on Sunday for gameweek 23. Until that, Kombouaré won’t turn his attention to I Bianconeri. “I don’t give a toss about the Juventus game. We’re taking things slow. A lot of people are looking ahead. I may not even be there anymore for the Juventus game. That’s who I am.”

The former Paris Saint-Germain player and manager claims that the most important game for Nantes is always the next one. He hopes that Nantes will prevail against Ligue 1 bottom-placed Angers, to book their place in the quarter-finals, and beat Lorient at home for what he expects to be a “very tricky match.” “For me, the Juventus game is still far, far away“, ends Kombouaré. “What’s the point of preparing for this if we lose our two games before ?”