This evening against Lyon, the stakes go beyond the simple reality of the championship. For Pierre Sage, this final Ligue 1 match is like a dress rehearsal, a real-life laboratory test just five days before the Coupe de France final against Nice. Dealing with the absence of key players throughout a season marked by a medical mystery, the Lens coach must decide: who will be the defensive trio to lift the trophy on Friday?
Maintaining a stable foundation has been nothing short of a miracle this year. With the serious injury to Jonathan Gradit and the prolonged absences of Samson Baidoo and Kyllian Antonio, the coaching staff has had to constantly improvise. No less than 10 different combinations have started matches this season! From the interim presence of Nidal Celik to the use of Arthur Masuaku, Pierre Sage has explored it all. But when it comes down to it, the certainties of the early season (the trio of Gradit-Baidoo-Sarr) have shattered.
Facing Paris Saint-Germain, fate intervened when the injury to Baidoo, paradoxically, may have provided the solution. By thrusting young Kyllian Antonio (18 years old) directly into the arena instead of resorting to experienced options on the bench, Pierre Sage sent a strong message.
As a result, a formula emerges as the most attractive and solid to challenge Lyon tonight, and then Nice on Friday. On the right, Kyllian Antonio, in the center, Ismaël Ganiou, and on the left, Malang Sarr. Kyllian Antonio has a head start compared to his pre-injury form, where Celik and Masuaku were preferred when Pierre Sage had to call on them.
“I’m waiting to have answers to these questions during this weekend’s match. It will be the opportunity to evaluate which is the best option. I’m very pleased with Kyllian’s return against PSG,” admitted Pierre Sage, who may have already made his choice, in a press conference. The trio of Antonio-Ganiou-Sarr has a lot to prove tonight. A strong performance, and their ticket to start in the Coupe de France final will be officially stamped.
