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

Nantes and Lorient will meet at Stade de la Beaujoire in a relegation-six pointer on Sunday on matchday 13 of the Ligue 1 campaign.

The hosts are 16th in the standings with 10 points from 12 fixtures, narrowly above the 17th-placed visitors on goal difference.

Match preview

Nantes, since securing a superb ninth-placed finish in 2021-22, have been consistently fighting for their Ligue 1 survival in the subsequent three seasons, and they are back in the battle for safety once again this term.

Luis Castro, who was appointed Nantes manager in July 2025, would have been hoping to build on Antoine Kombouare's encouraging end to the last campaign, which saw the Canaries record one win and three draws in their last five games to secure their top-flight survival.

However, a challenging pre-season saw Nantes lose four of their five friendly fixtures, and that form has continued into the opening part of their Ligue 1 campaign.

After 12 matched played, the Canaries have managed only two victories and four draws, alongside suffering six defeats, leaving them in 16th place with 10 points.

The hosts head into this one following a particularly devastating 1-1 draw with relegation rivals Le Havre, with Nantes conceding a 95th-minute equaliser, meaning they have now failed to win any of their last three matches heading into Sunday's encounter.

Set for another relegation encounter, Nantes will be hoping to escape the bottom three and put three points between themselves and the automatic relegation places, as the Canaries host current 17th-placed Lorient.

Lorient secured their immediate return to the top-flight as they lifted the Ligue 2 title last season, but they have struggled to adapt to life back in Ligue 1.

The Merlucciidaes initially had a promising start as they bounced back from an opening-day defeat to Auxerre by securing a crushing 4-0 win over Rennes, but they failed to build on that result with only one win in their next 10 outings, alongside five defeats and four draws.

Now coming into Saturday's game without a triumph in their last six, having recorded three draws and three losses, Olivier Pantaloni will be hoping to snap that streak with a potentially crucial three points.

A win for Lorient would lift them above their hosts and potentially as high as 13th depending on results elsewhere, but they have historically struggled to achieve three points in this fixture, including defeats in all of their last three competitive meetings.

Nantes Ligue 1 form:

Lorient Ligue 1 form:

Team News

Nantes are dealing with the ongoing injuries to Francis Coquelin, Johann Lepenant and Louis Leroux, while Anthony Lopes and Mayckel Lahdo are also both doubts for this match due to injury problems.

In Lopes' absence, Patrik Carlgren may start between the sticks behind a defence of Kelvin Amian, Chidozie Awaziem, Tylel Tati and Nicolas Cozza.

As for Lorient, Abdoulaye Faye, Bandiougou Fadiga, Panos Katseris and Bamba Dieng are all not expected to feature due to injury problems, while Laurent Abergel, Trevan Sanusi and Isaak Toure are also doubts.

Pablo Pagis is Lorient's top scorer in the league this term with four goals, and he is expected to feature alongside Karim Dermane and Aiyegun Tosin in attack.

Nantes possible starting lineup:

Carlgren; Amian, Awaziem, Tati, Cozza; Mwanga, Kwon, Tabibou; Benhattab, El Arabi, Abline

Lorient possible starting lineup:

Mvogo; Meite, Yongwa, Talbi; Bris, Cadiou, Ebong, Kouassi; Dermane, Pagis; Tosin

We say: Nantes 1-1 Lorient

Nantes and Lorient have both struggled at the beginning of this season, and with the pair level on points, we expect a tightly-contested affair that we predict will end all square.

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