Marseille near European goal

By Chris Burke

The pressure will be on Olympique de Marseille on Saturday as they aim to strenghten their hold on Ligue 1's UEFA Cup berth against champions Olympique Lyonnais, while the tension mounts for the teams at the bottom.

European target
With LOSC Lille Métropole and AS Monaco FC having tied up the remaining UEFA Champions League spots last weekend, the highest Marseille can finish is fourth place. That would still guarantee them European football next term, however, and a win at the Stade Vélodrome would take them a giant step closer. "It's unimaginable for us to go through another season without that," admitted playmaker Samir Nasri.

Pedretti suspended
They must cope without the suspended Benoît Pedretti, though, and will be braced for another strong performance from the visitors, who overwhelmed FC Girondins de Bordeaux 5-1 last Sunday, despite having already wrapped up the title. Outgoing coach Paul Le Guen is also eager for two wins from Lyon's last two fixtures to pass last year's points total of 79.

Rivals poised
Should Lyon frustrate Philippe Troussier's men, both AJ Auxerre and Stade Rennais FC will be hoping to close the two-point gap. Rennes host an RC Strasbourg team now safe in the top flight, but Auxerre's opponents OGC Nice are still fighting for their lives, three points clear of the drop zone and due to travel to Lyon on the last day.

Bordeaux test
Level on points with Nice, Bordeaux remain in trouble too and they face a stern test away to Monaco. The home side know victory is vital if they are to stand any chance of swapping their Champions League qualifying-round ticket for Lille's automatic place, while Lille will be trying to end the debate when they welcome strugglers AC Ajaccio. Goal difference alone is keeping the Corsican side out of the bottom three, where 18th-placed SM Caen will be looking for a third straight win when they visit Toulouse FC.

Bastia pressure
One point further back, SC Bastia face perhaps their last chance of masterminding an escape from danger at home to RC Lens. Goalkeeper Nicolas Penneteau is suspended for the islanders, and stand-in Jean-Louis Leca admits the pressure is intense: "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous."

Metz mission
Elsewhere, FC Metz will attempt to keep themselves out of trouble at home to Paris Saint-Germain FC, as will FC Nantes Atlantique at FC Sochaux-Montbéliard, while already-relegated FC Istres visit AS Saint-Etienne.