Lyon lay record on the line

By Chris Burke

Capital memories
Pauleta may have been the only scorer in that 15 May fixture, but Paul Le Guen's side will remember it as the night they retained their league crown. Since then, almost everything has gone right for Lyon and they visit the Parc des Princes with a three-point lead, the best attack in the division and five successive clean sheets. Only injury problems cloud their progress, although injured goalkeeper Grégory Coupet has faith in his team-mates. "Lyon won't be under pressure. It's PSG who should be feeling the pressure," he said.

PSG prepared
Indeed, defeat would leave the capital club 18 points off the pace, and coach Vahid Halilhodzic has been making his players study footage of last week's 3-0 loss to FC Girondins de Bordeaux, a result that saw them drop into 12th place. However, PSG have won their last three home matches and, with Lyon's last triumph there dating back to 1999, French international Bernard Mendy is undaunted. "What's stopping us from beating them again?" he said.

Trio missing
Top of the league this time last season, seven matches without a win have left AS Monaco FC ten points adrift in fifth place and desperate for victory against the side above them, FC Sochaux-Montbéliard, on Friday. Monaco will be missing South Americans Javier Saviola, Ernesto Chevantón and Maicon - all on international duty - while Brazilian striker Ilan is set to return from injury for Sochaux.

Northern derby
On Saturday, second-placed LOSC Lille Métropole travel to RC Lens for the northern derby, with Lens hovering above the relegation zone. Their fortunes could hardly be more contrasting, but Lille defender Benoît Angbwa is taking nothing for granted. "This won't be just another game," he said. Four points behind Lille, AJ Auxerre will be hoping to keep joint-leading scorer Mickäel Pagis quiet when they travel to struggling RC Strasbourg.

Marseille sixth
Fellow strugglers AC Ajaccio are at home to sixth-placed Olympique de Marseille on the same day, while the bottom club FC Istres will attempt to register an elusive first win at home to FC Metz. Elsewhere, mid-table FC Nantes Atlantique entertain Bordeaux, SM Caen face OGC Nice, AS Saint-Etienne take on Stade Rennais FC and Toulouse FC play SC Bastia.