Jordan Ayew Starts on Bench as Lorient Face Saint-Étienne in Coupe de la Ligue Clash
Ghanaian international Jordan Ayew will begin Wednesday night’s Coupe de la Ligue Round of 16 tie on the bench, as FC Lorient take on AS Saint-Étienne in what promises to be a tightly contested knockout match.
Lorient head coach Sylvain Ripoll has opted to start Benjamin Jeannot in attack, leaving Ayew—one of the club’s more high-profile players—among the substitutes. The decision suggests a tactical shift as Ripoll looks to balance his squad amid a demanding fixture schedule.
Saint-Étienne manager Christophe Galtier has also made notable adjustments to his side, handing a start in central defence to Paul Baysse, while Florentin Pogba moves out to the right-back position—a relatively unfamiliar role for the Guinean international.
🔶 Lorient Starting XI:
Chaigneau – Pedrinho, Wachter, Lautoa, Guerreiro – Autret, Coutadeur, Bellugou, Pelé – Diallo, Jeannot
Substitutes: Audard, Gassama, Lavenant, Reale, Ayew, Robert, Traoré
🟢 Saint-Étienne Starting XI:
Ruffier – Pogba, Baysse, Perrin, Tabanou – Clément, Lemoine – Hamouma, Monnet-Paquet, Gradel – Van Wolfswinkel
Substitutes: Moulin, Théophile-Catherine, Brison, Corgnet, Cohade, Mollo, Saint-Maximin
Ayew’s absence from the starting lineup will be closely watched, particularly as the Ghanaian attacker has been one of Lorient’s more dynamic offensive threats this season. However, his inclusion on the bench provides Ripoll with a strong option should the team require a second-half impact.
With both sides eyeing a place in the quarter-finals, the match is expected to be a competitive affair at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard.
