Saint-Étienne (AFP)
Already eliminated from the Europa League, Saint-Etienne moves Thursday in Wolfsburg (21H05) with three objectives without flavor: quickly forget his European failure, test several of his young and rest his executives for the reception of Paris Saint-Germain Sunday in the league.
The Stephanois, 3rd Group I, who have, like Rennes, another French club involved in the competition, won any European meeting this season, can no longer catch up with the Belgian team of La Gantoise, or the Germans Wolfsburg, two qualified formations for the round of 32.
Faced with the lack of stakes, coach Claude Puel, faced with a cascade of injuries in recent weeks, did not have to think long before joining his group of many young people. Among the 20 players selected, defender Marvin Tshibuabua (17), Bilal Benkhedim (18), Victor Petit (18) and striker Tyrone Tormin (18) and third goalkeeper, Stefan Bajic (17 years old), are in the group.
The opportunity for ASSE to demonstrate that it has as many reserves as it has for the future.
Defenders Loïc Perrin, Debuchy Mathieu, Wesley Fofana are left to rest, as midfielder Ryad Boudebouz, Mahdi Camara and striker Denis Bouanga, the most prolific this season (7 goals, all in L1). Even goalkeeper Stéphane Ruffier, replaced by his usual lining, Jessy Moulin (33 years old), is preserved.
They were all holders Sunday in Reims where the Greens have lost (3-1) for the second time on the last three days of Ligue 1 which they are 8th in the standings.
For their part, striker Wahbi Khazri, still injured in one hand, and the Peruvian left back, Miguel Trauco, suffering from ankle, remain unavailable.
While there are four games to play for ASSE by the truce - a Europa League, a league Cup in Nimes and two in the French league - Claude Puel hopes to spare his managers to challenge Sunday in good physical conditions the PSG, leader far from being impregnable during his last outings.
© 2019 AFP