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Paris Saint-Germain - Le Mans Union Club

PSG kick off the weekend with a visit from MUC.

It's a welcome return to Ligue action, with the capital side having made heavy weather of non-league minnows Le-Poire-Sur-Vie during the cup last weekend.

It was worse for Le Mans, who lost out to Bordeaux in one of the few all-pro ties.

Still, in the Ligue, MUC remain fully four points ahead of the Parisiens, although Paul Le Guen's men did manage a 2-0 win at the Léon Bollée earlier in the campaign.

Girondins de Bordeaux - FC Metz

Bordeaux are preening after their Coupe win, but Metz aren't exactly in their usual doldrums, either.

For the Grenats smashed their local rivals Strasbourg 3-0 in the last round of the cup, having previously drawn with Rennes in the Ligue.

That'll raise the spirits a bit, but it's still looking very much like mission impossible for the Metz men, who have still managed just six points away from home.

Bordeaux, meanwhile, have actually dropped points on four occasions on their own patch, so complacency isn't an option.

AS Monaco - Lille OSC

Two storied names of recent years have fallen upon comparatively hard times.

Monaco don't have it too bad: despite their inconsistency, they're somehow still in fifth place, although it's not quite in the Champions League, where they want to be.

Lille, for their part, can only dream of the days that they rubbed shoulders with Manchester United. The big-spending Dogues are instead slumming it with Metz and Sochaux, and are just one point off the relegation zone.

They've failed to win away in their last three attempts, too, so things could clearly be better.

AS Nancy-Lorraine - Toulouse FC

Nancy are still unbeaten at home, and despite a frustrating tendency of late to draw, they're still high on confidence ahead of TEF's visit.

The Toulouse men are in seriously dire straits, having been knocked out of the Coupe long ago by lowly Paris FC, and must know look at securing safety in the Ligue.

The Lorraine side, meanwhile, remain third, but are just one point into the Champions League qualification zone. That could prove precarious...

Stade Rennais - AJ Auxerre

Rennes were once one of the challengers for that spot, but a dreadful run of defeats has seen them slip to mid-table.

They've managed to turn it around to some extent, drawing their last two Ligue fixtures, but since one was against Metz, that's not really saying much.

Auxerre, meanwhile, have only won once away from home, drawing three times. With four players out, including Kahlenberg, they'll do well to recover in time to take a result home from Brittany.

Racing Strasbourg - AS Saint Etienne

Strasbourg, out of the Coupe, must now focus on steering clear of relegation as they welcome ASSE to the border.

The Racing side are terribly inconsistent at home, and have in fact also lost the last two home meetings with Saint Etienne.

Les Verts, though, can take nothing for granted, given that they're level on points with Racing. Their own volatile nature has cost them dear, especially away from home, where they have amassed just six points.

Valenciennes AFC - FC Lorient

VAFC have lost their last two: most worryingly, one of them was at home, where they had hitherto been unbeaten.

Now, they'll prepare to meet a Lorient side that's already knocked them out of the Coupe earlier in the season, with their mind on revenge.

Still, they pre-empted that with a 3-1 away win earlier in the season - one that left Les Merlus reeling, at that.

Saifi is out for the visitors, though, in what is a major blow for the southern Bretons.

Olympique Lyonnais - FC Sochaux-Montbeliard

The OL juggernaut only managed to wheeze its way past Croix de Savoie in the Coupe, but remain four points clear at the top of the pile in Ligue 1.

Furthermore, they've lost just once at home all season, and will have Juninho back in action for this one.

Sochaux, meanwhile, have a decent away record overall, but have never won a top flight game at the Gerland.

Last season's 3-3 draw may offer a bit of inspiration, but it's still going to be uphill all the way for the relegation contenders...

Stade Malherbe Caen - Racing Club Lens

Caen welcome Lens to kick off Sunday's card, with 'Malherbe' still nursing European ambitions.

With Yoan Gouffran set to leave the club for PSG in the summer, it's a chance for a "last hurrah" ahead of what may be a more difficult 08-09 campaign.

Lens, meanwhile, had no cup action last week, and will be rested for what is an important tie.

They're still just one point above the relegation zone, and considering that their hosts are unbeaten in four home games, will need to look lively.

OGC Nice - Olympique Marseille

Rounding off the weekend, Marseille visit Nice for a south coast clash of odd significance.

Normally, it is the Nicoises who are at this stage of the season looking to pull free of the relegation zone. This year, though, they're five points ahead of Marseille and on the verge of a Champions League spot.

OM, for their part, are starting to hit form after a dreadful start to the season, although they cannot declare themselves safe quite yet.

This game will be tough for them given the absence of Samir Nasri, although Mamadou Niang is back from international duty and could take part in what's set to be an attacking Marseille line-up.


source:goal.com