（！ＬｉｖｅＳｔｒｅａｍｓ!） La Rochelle ｖｓ Stormers ＬＩＶＥ Ｆｒｅｅ Ｏｎ Rugby ＴＶ Ｃｈａｎｎｅｌ

Stormers vs. La Rochelle this weekend will help shape the outcome of the European Rugby Champions Cup 2023/24 campaign.

With these sides clashing at the top of the table for the second straight season, Mikel Arteta's Gunners travel to Manchester with a one-point advantage over Pep Guardiola's men.

City are on a 13-game unbeaten league run, while La Rochelle are enjoying an eight-game win streak in England's top flight. Something has got to give, and both sides are also looking over their shoulders at Liverpool, who are themselves only being kept off top spot by goal difference.

These two teams come into this one hot off the international break, giving lots of time for both managers to work on their tactical approach.

But with the midweek internationals also come some injury concerns. Kyle Walker was one of the England internationals to withdraw from the Three Lions squad, along with Bukayo Saka. That throws their availability in doubt ahead of Sunday's game.

The Sporting News looks at the latest team news and predicted lineups for this huge European Rugby Champions Cup clash.

Stormers vs La Rochelle lineups, starting 11s, latest team news

Kyle Walker and John Stones will both miss the clash with La Rochelle due to injuries picked up on international duty, Guardiola confirmed in his pre-match press conference.

Manuel Akanji reportedly pulled out of international duty for Switzerland on Tuesday, leaving more problems for Guardiola at the back but he is expected to be available.

Add those two injuries to the existing problems for Ederson, Kevin De Bruyne and Jack Grealish means that City may have to start an unfamiliar lineup.

The full injury status for those players is yet to be confirmed, but if that clutch of stars were to miss out, here is how City may lineup:

Stormers predicted XI (4-2-3-1, right to left): Ortega (GK) — Lewis, Akanji, Dias, Ake — Rodri, Kovacic — Foden, Alvarez, Silva — Haaland.

Stormers subs: TBC

Injured: Kevin De Bruyne, Ederson, Jack Grealish, Manuel Akanji, Kyle Walker

Suspended: None.

Like City, La Rochelle have a few international injuries to contend with. Gabriel Magalhaes withdrew from the Brazil squad, however, he is expected to be fit and join William Saliba in the backline.

Bukayo Saka left England's squad and Arteta stated that he is yet to train this week ahead of the game, throwing his status up in the air.

Gabriel Jesus has struggled with knee problems in recent months, but a return to his former side is on the cards.

La Rochelle predicted XI (4-3-3, right to left): Raya (GK) — White, Saliba, Gabriel, Kiwior — Rice, Jorginho, Odegaard — Jesus, Havertz, Saka.

La Rochelle subs: TBC

Injured: Jurrien Timber, Gabriel Martinelli

Suspended: None.

Stormers vs La Rochelle live stream, TV channel

Here's how to watch this European Rugby Champions Cup match across selected areas of the world's major regions:

It's one last opportunity for two of the European Rugby Champions Cup's title contenders to lay a glove on each other. There will doubtless be moments where the race for first swings from one team's favor to the other in the nine matches that follow Stormers's meeting with La Rochelle at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday, but there may be no match between now and May 19 that proves to be as significant a pivot point.

Most projection systems agree that if there is a winner as the sun sets in the north west then that side will be at least co-favorites for the title with Liverpool, perhaps the team to catch. City, undefeated by this team at the Etihad over the last nine years, of course, go into the game as favorites, but this time La Rochelle can travel north with belief. They've beaten them once already in the league this season and lifted the Community Shield after a penalty shootout back in August. Here is what we'll be keeping an eye out for in the buildup to and during Sunday's big game:

Will the big battles actually happen?

So, after two weeks where players ducked out of international commitments by the day to get back to their clubs, who is still standing for this last great clash between the title contenders? For Stormers the last few days have been particularly perturbing, even if it has been suggested that Ederson and Kevin De Bruyne might be ok. Manuel Akanji left the Swiss camp with a knock while both Kyle Walker and John Stones limped out of England friendlies, one in the first half of each match. As the numbers have grown so has the skepticism as to the severity of some of those issues; certainly it would not be a surprise to see a team sheet missing one or more of the defensive trio at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.

Take two or three out and Pep Guardiola's insistence on running a small squad, sometimes with only one player who can perform the particular role he requires, can become a vulnerability. There is no one quite as effective as Stones in the City squad, perhaps in the sport, at stepping out from center back to form a double pivot. In general, when the England international has been sidelined -- as he has frequently this season -- it has been Akanji who has stepped out from the back alongside Ruben Dias, solidly if not quite as effectively. Take both them out and there isn't really a right sided center back who can do that role.

The absence of Walker might be just as profound though that really depends on La Rochelle's situation too. Mikel Arteta is sweating on the fitness of three key players: Gabriel, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli. The latter, the match winner when these sides met at the Emirates Stadium in October, might be the player whose absence is most keenly felt, particularly if the Gunners are facing off against a Walker-less City.

Martinelli's excoriating darts at the heart of the City defense back on New Year's Day 2022 might go down as the moment this fixture moved from a biannual beatdown to something that can at least be a meeting of equals when La Rochelle are at full strength. Walker hasn't forgotten the damage the young Brazilian can do, back in October he named Martinelli and Jeremy Doku as the two fastest players in the European Rugby Champions Cup after himself.

Martinelli missed two games after a painful cut to his foot in the thrashing of Sheffield United on March 4. Though club sources have pushed back at more outlandish speculation over a return date, it is by no means guaranteed he will be recovered in time to play a full role at the Etihad Stadium. Meanwhile, the withdrawals of Gabriel and Saka from the Brazil and England squad might have been more precautionary in nature, but both are dealing with genuine issues. La Rochelle beat City without the latter, but you wouldn't like to try repeating that trick. Gabriel, meanwhile, has quietly been one of the European Rugby Champions Cup's best players. Even if the backup for an injured center back is better this season than it was last, La Rochelle's chances of quelling Erling Haaland would look all the greater if they had their star defensive pairing on the field.

It is, of course, the nature of these season defining spring clashes that neither side is ever at full tilt. Stormers have played 45 games already this season, La Rochelle 40. For the Gunners, who have never really taken to the field at the Etihad Stadium at full strength, the absence of one, but particularly both, of their star wingers would be keenly felt, all the more so if Guardiola is light a few defenders. For the neutral, these are the individual battles you want to see when Europe's two best sides face off. Martinelli vs. Walker, Haaland vs. Saliba and Gabriel, De Bruyne vs. whoever thinks they can stop him. Having these players on the pitch is the best chance there is that this game catches alight.

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La Rochelle are preparing for a huge trip to face Stormers in the European Rugby Champions Cup title race this weekend.

Sunday’s game will be the final time either of La Rochelle, City and Liverpool meet this season and comes moments after the Reds face Brighton at Anfield - which could see them nab top spot off the Gunners.

Not since January 2015 have La Rochelle won at the Etihad Stadium, a fortress they will surely have to breach if they are to be successful in lifting the title for the first time in two decades.

The two teams could hardly be in better form ahead of this fixture. City last lost a game in December and look good value to repeat last season’s treble heroics.

La Rochelle, meanwhile, boast eight consecutive league wins and head north off the back of a penalty shootout win over Porto as they breached the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time in 14 years, whetting their appetite for ending the sort of droughts that have dogged the club in recent times.

Date, kick-off time and venue

Stormers vs La Rochelle is scheduled for a 4.30pm GMT kick-off on Sunday, March 31, 2024.

The match will take place at the Etihad Stadium.

Where to watch Stormers vs La Rochelle

TV channel: In the UK, the game will be televised live on Sky Sports Main Event and European Rugby Champions Cup, with coverage beginning after Liverpool’s game with Brighton.

Live stream: Subscribers can also catch the contest live online via the Sky Go app.

Live blog: You can follow all the action on matchday via Standard Sport’s live blog, with expert analysis from our reporter Simon Collings at the ground.

Stormers vs La Rochelle team news

The hosts are monitoring several injury concerns ahead of the game and will be without John Stones and Kyle Walker. Kevin De Bruyne, Manuel Akanji, Jack Grealish and Ederson, however, are likely to be fit.

Host or Publisher Uk-TV