Preview: Lyon vs Nantes - prediction, team news, lineups

Lyon will try to climb back into a European position when they host relegation-threatened Nantes in Ligue 1 action on Sunday at Groupama Stadium.

A 0-0 draw at Auxerre has Les Gones sitting in seventh on goal difference, while Nantes are only above the relegation line in 15th by that same narrow margin after drawing 1-1 with Lorient.

Match preview

In the late fall and early winter, the Lyon campaign has taken a bit of a downward spiral with this team falling well back in the race for the Ligue 1 crown.

They enter this contest on a four-match winless run domestically, having lost two of their last three home games in league play.

A loss or draw on Sunday would mark their longest run of top-flight encounters without a victory since dropping points in their first 10 matches of the 2023-24 campaign.

Meanwhile, they could also suffer consecutive home defeats in Ligue 1 for the first time since August to September of 2023 (two).

Paulo Fonseca’s men have given up six goals in their last three domestic affairs at Groupama Stadium after posting three successive clean sheets to begin the season.

Olympique Lyonnais have points in four consecutive meetings with La Maison Jaune, including back-to-back home triumphs.

Barely anything that Luis Castro has attempted in his first campaign at Nantes has worked with this team struggling to scrape together much this season.

They come into this upcoming contest having dropped points in four successive outings, putting them on the cusp of relegation, an all too familiar feeling in recent seasons.

More dropped points this weekend would equal their longest domestic winless run of the season (five games), with this side currently boasting the joint-fewest victories in the top-flight (two).

At this stage of the season, Nantes have accumulated a mere 11 points, the same amount they had after 13 matches in 2024-25.

Three of their next four games take place outside of Stade de la Beaujoire, which could be what they need to get back on track, going unbeaten in their previous four Ligue 1 encounters away from home.

Les Canaris have been at their best defensively on the road, conceding a goal or fewer in five of their six league matches played this season as the visitors.

Lyon Ligue 1 form:

Lyon form (all competitions):

Nantes Ligue 1 form:

Team News

Lyon will be without Orel Mangala and Ernest Nuamah on Sunday due to cruciate ligament injuries, while Malick Fofana and Ruben Kluivert will also be sidelined because of ankle problems.

Hamstring strains could prevent Clinton Mata and Rachid Ghezzal from featuring as well, while Nicolas Tagliafico and Tyler Morton are eligible to return from their suspensions.

Look for Francis Coquelin to miss this match for Nantes with a sore hamstring, while Louis Leroux remains doubtful to return from his leg injury.

Chidozie Awaziem scored the equaliser for them against Lorient last week, atoning for his own goal in the latter stages of the opening half of that match.

Lyon possible starting lineup:

Grief; Barisic, Maitland-Niles, Niakhate, Abner; Tessmann, Morton; Sulc, Tolisso, Moreira; Satriano

Nantes possible starting lineup:

Lopes; Amian, Awaziem, Tati, Cozza; Lepenant, Hyun-seok, Mwanga; Guirassy, Abline, El-Arabi

We say: Lyon 0-1 Nantes

Nantes look much more composed at home, and we expect former Lyon goalkeeper Anthony Lopes to be ultra motivated to perform at his very best against his former club.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.