Montpellier HSC coach Rene Girard has said that his side will cope as best they can without playmakers Younes Belhanda and Remy Cabella against Rennes.

Belhanda has a one-match suspension while Cabella is injured, but Girard thinks that he should still be able to name a "balanced" side.

"The first solution was not to play and to say that we were going to wait until they came back," Ligue1.com quotes Girard as saying.

"However, that is not allowed, so we will get on with it. We know Rennes like to play football and are also strong physically. We will try to find a solution.

"Remy and Younes are two playmakers, both similar. It is a handicap, but we will do our best to put out a balanced side."

Rennes would leapfrog Montpellier in the table with a win.