Nîmes Olympique moves training due to floods

Nîmes Olympique has moved its training sessions to Saint-Césaire because of heavy rains in the Gard region, which have made the fields at the Bastide unusable for the entire week.

Training adapts to new conditions

The team is now training on the synthetic pitch at the Jean-Pierre Adams stadium in Saint-Césaire. This facility serves Helder Esteves and his players but lacks changing rooms. A day of video training was held under the guidance of Antonin Deniaud, the physical trainer, before the team returned to on-field sessions on Wednesday, though only part of the squad participated.

Injuries and travel issues affect squad

Injured players Caoki, Depres, and Dias remain under care, with Dias possibly needing surgery on his right ring finger. Some players, including Benhamza, Silvente, Touré, Diarra, and Tlili, were stuck in the Bouches-du-Rhône due to flooded roads. Bennour, who suffered a head injury in Tours on Saturday, may need a scan, while Doucouré missed training due to a road accident requiring a visit to the body shop.

Nîmes to continue training in Saint-Césaire

Nîmes Olympique will continue training in Saint-Césaire on Thursday and Friday. Meanwhile, the fifth round of the Coupe de France match between Tarbes (N1) and Entente de la Jeunesse Toulousaine (R2) has been confirmed. Tarbes’ appeal to have Entente de la Jeunesse Toulousaine qualify after being disqualified over a license issue was successful.

Match details for Coupe de France clash

The match between Tarbes and Entente de la Jeunesse Toulousaine will be held on Saturday at 6:30 PM on the auxiliary field Fernand Sastre at the Borderouge sports complex. This venue has a synthetic pitch but no stands. Entente de la Jeunesse Toulousaine shared excitement on social media, calling the match "a historic meeting against Nîmes Olympique, an emblematic club of French football."

OAC trains in Saint-Jean-du-Pin

OAC also faced disruptions due to the weather and trained on a synthetic pitch in Saint-Jean-du-Pin this morning despite light rain. Noé Cabezas, recovering from an injury to his inner malleolus, was seen working physically with the trainer. Cabezas hopes to return to team training next week.

Absences and friendly match plans

Two other players, Gianni Baptiste and Loïck Lambecq, were absent due to illness. To prepare for the week without an official match, OAC will play a friendly match against Lunel, a R1 team also eliminated from the Coupe de France. The match is scheduled for Friday at 8 PM at the Pibarot stadium, though it remains unclear if the club will allow public attendance.

Cévenols secure narrow victory

The Cévenols secured a narrow 0-1 victory over Espaly last Saturday, thanks to a strong defensive performance. The team has recorded three clean sheets in three away games this season, largely attributed to goalkeeper Paul Bourdelle, who made several crucial saves.

Bourdelle reflects on match and upcoming game

Bourdelle, who joined from Stade Briochin in the winter of 2025, reflected on the match, emphasizing the importance of validating their away form at home in the upcoming match against Canet. He noted the difficulty of the first half, during which Espaly created multiple chances but failed to score.

Gard handball derby set for October 31

The Gard handball derby for the sixth round of D2F is scheduled for Saturday, October 31, 2026, at 8 PM at the Parnasse. The match between USAM Nîmoise (12th with 7 points) and Bouillargues (5th with 11 points) will be free to attend with mandatory reservations.

Match details and travel instructions

USAM members must contact their coach to register, while supporters of BHNM are advised to contact their club for travel and reservation details. Last season, each team won at their home venue, with USAM winning 36-31 at the Parnasse and BHNM winning 29-26 at the Agora.