Europe 1 with AFP 9:41 p.m., February 22, 2023

Returning from Turin with a draw (1-1), FC Nantes dreams of achieving a resounding feat by receiving Juventus on Thursday in the play-off return to the knockout stages of the Europa League, while the suspense also remains between Manchester United and FC Barcelona.

A week after the first leg in Turin (1-1), Juventus travels to Nantes on Thursday evening, in the return leg of the Europa League.

For this meeting, the Old Lady will be deprived of two important elements, Federico Chiesa and Paul Pogba, absent from the group convened by Massimiliano Allegri, just like Arkadiusz Milik.

But despite these absences, the task looks complicated for the Canaries even if they believe in it hard as iron.

Nantes hopes to revive the memory of the semi-final return of the Champions League in 1996 when the men of Jean-Claude Suaudeau had dominated "the Old Lady" (3-2) at La Beaujoire without however managing to reach the final. .

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Favorite Juve

This time, a success will necessarily be synonymous with qualification and the troops of Antoine Kombouaré will count in particular on their last bastion Alban Lafont, almost impassable in his cage in the first leg, and their technical leader Ludovic Blas, scorer at Juventus Stadium, to make the difference.

On paper, Juve will be the big favorite against Nantes, who are hardly dashing in the league (13th), but the Italian club is not sovereign this season either.

What give ideas to the FCN in front of its public despite a workforce much less prestigious than that of its opponent.

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Reindeer under pressure

Rennes will have to turn things around against Shakhtar Donetsk after their defeat in Warsaw (2-1).

The Bretons, in bad shape for several weeks, regained some color on Sunday by winning against Clermont (2-0) in Ligue 1.

Monaco, on the other hand, is in a much more advantageous situation before welcoming Bayer Leverkusen, beaten in Germany 3-2.

Euphoric and undefeated in 2023, the Monegasques, 3rd in L1, should not have too much trouble facing an opponent in difficulty, who has just been beaten at home by Mainz (3-2) in the Bundesliga.

Apart from the French representatives, all eyes will be on Old Trafford where Manchester United receives Barça after holding the clash at Camp Nou (2-2).

Solidly installed at the top of La Liga, the Blaugrana are however assured of nothing while MU are on the rise and have been full of confidence against Leicester (3-0).

After Barça, the Mancunians have an appointment with Newcastle on Sunday in the final of the League Cup.

A victory would give them their first trophy in six years.