Antoine Kombouaré Ready for Tough Battle as Lens Prepare to Face Evian TG
Antoine Kombouaré, the resolute French coach of Burkinabe descent, remains undeterred despite challenges facing his side ahead of their Ligue 1 clash against Evian Thonon Gaillard (ETG) on Wednesday evening.
Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday ahead of the seventh round fixture in Annecy, Kombouaré acknowledged the difficulty of the encounter but emphasised the importance of securing a positive result to boost his team’s morale and league standing.
“If we get a good result at Evian TG, we could have a good psychological advantage,” the former Paris Saint-Germain manager said. “But in the situation we find ourselves in, every match is a battle! We don’t know what the outcome will be in the coming weeks or months. At least in the immediate future, we have a lot of problems to manage. That’s why all our energy and concentration are focused on tomorrow’s match.”
The coach underlined that while a win would not definitively solve Lens’s troubles, it would help maintain their position in the league and allow the team to approach subsequent matches with greater confidence and stability.
Kombouaré also provided an update on the fitness of his squad, revealing concerns over defender Lalaina Nomenjanahary. “Lalaina has a problem. We’ll take stock, but it’s not encouraging at all. He has a sort of swelling in his fibula. He’s had tests and, apparently, he’ll be receiving treatment,” the coach explained. “We also have a lot of minor injuries… I hope to have some good news after today’s training session.”
Despite these setbacks, Kombouaré insisted that his team would not go into the match as underdogs. “With the resources we have, we’ll try to find the solution(s) tomorrow and play the match we expect. The players are ready to make up for the absences! We’re not going there as victims!”
Lens, currently navigating a challenging season, will look to harness the fighting spirit instilled by Kombouaré as they face ETG, who themselves are eager for points to climb the Ligue 1 table.
The match, set to take place at the Parc des Sports in Annecy, promises to be a tightly contested affair with both sides aware of the stakes.
