Nantes' Ligue 1 Survival Hopes Dwindle After Stalemate With Auxerre
FC Nantes' hopes of Ligue 1 survival have been dealt a significant blow after a goalless draw at home against fellow strugglers Auxerre. The result leaves the Canaries in a precarious 17th place, eight points from safety with just five matches remaining in the season.
The goalless draw at the Stade de la Beaujoire provided little for either side in the desperate battle to avoid the drop. The point does little to aid Nantes, who remain eight points adrift of 17th-placed Lorient, while Auxerre, who are just above the relegation play-off spot, extended their own survival hopes with a crucial point.
In a post-match press conference, a visibly frustrated Nantes manager Vahid Halilhodžić did not hide his disappointment. "The situation is getting more and more desperate," the coach admitted, according to reports. "My team is under huge, huge pressure. I am truly sad for my club. I am trying everything possible to help, to try and save us. Will we succeed? I can't tell you at the moment."
Despite the bleak outlook, Halilhodžić insisted his team would not give up, praising his players' application. "In sport, everything is possible. We remain mobilized. The lads are training superbly, they are doing a great job." However, the fixture list offers little comfort for the embattled manager. Nantes face a daunting run-in, with four of their final five matches coming against teams currently in Ligue 1's top five, starting with a trip to fifth-placed Brest next weekend.
The draw represents a double setback, as it also denies Auxerre, who are just five points above the relegation play-off spot, a much-needed victory. The shared point does little to aid either club's immediate survival ambitions, leaving both in a precarious position. The result intensifies the pressure on Nantes, who must now pull off a series of major upsets in their final matches to have any hope of preserving their top-flight status.
