Following their hard-fought Ligue 2 playoff victory over Rodez (0-0, 7-6 on penalties) just ten days prior, AS Saint-Étienne is now gearing up for the highly anticipated Ligue 1 playoff against OGC Nice. On Monday, ahead of the first leg, coach Philippe Montanier provided an update on his squad’s readiness. New Zealand international left-back Ben Old, who sustained a hamstring injury during the Rodez encounter, is currently uncertain for Tuesday’s home match at Geoffroy-Guichard. A definitive decision on his participation will be made after a final assessment on Tuesday morning.

Good news for Les Verts supporters, as Florian Tardieu is set to make his return. The seasoned midfielder has been sidelined since early March due to a calf injury but is now declared operational. However, young forward Djylian N’Guessan will be unavailable after suffering a new hamstring injury, ruling him out of contention.

Regarding the international players either currently selected or awaiting World Cup call-ups, their availability for Tuesday’s first leg remains under discussion. Coach Montanier stated that the club is still awaiting updates and ongoing negotiations. This uncertainty specifically affects Ben Old (New Zealand), as well as Augustine Boakye and Ebenezer Annan (Ghana).

The ASSE – OGC Nice Ligue 1 playoff first leg kicks off this Tuesday at 8:45 PM.