Moroccan coach Ahmed Kantari facing imminent sack as Nantes struggle in Ligue 1

Moroccan coach Ahmed Kantari appears set to lose his position as head coach of French side Nantes as the club continues to struggle in the Ligue 1 campaign.

According to Ouest-France, Kantari’s future at the club is hanging by a thread, with the Nantes hierarchy reportedly prepared to part ways with him once a suitable replacement is identified. 

The former defender took charge of the team in November after succeeding Luis Castro, at a time when the club was facing difficulties but still had hope of turning its season around.

However, Nantes’ situation has worsened in recent weeks. 

The club currently occupies 17th place in the Ligue 1 table and faces a serious threat of relegation to Ligue 2. Their chances of survival now largely depend on closing the two-point gap between them and 16th-placed Auxerre, with nine matches remaining in the season.

The team’s poor run of form has further increased pressure on Kantari. Les Canaris have suffered seven defeats in their last eight league outings, a streak that has significantly damaged their survival hopes. Their most recent setback came on Saturday with a home defeat to Angers, a result widely viewed as the tipping point for the struggling manager.

Nantes will now enter a two-week break without competitive action after their scheduled away fixture against Paris Saint-Germain was postponed. 

The decision was made to allow Luis Enrique’s Les Parisiens additional rest between their UEFA Champions League Round of 16 matches against Chelsea.

With the club not returning to league action until the March 22 home encounter against RC Strasbourg, the break could provide the perfect window for Nantes to make a managerial change as they attempt to rescue their season.