UEFA.com works better on other browsers
For the best possible experience, we recommend using Chrome, Firefox or Microsoft Edge.

Bordeaux plot Lyon downfall

Members

FC Girondins de Bordeaux take on Olympique Lyonnais this evening looking to prove that the champions will not have it all their own way this season.

Team-mates collide
Eight players from Bordeaux and Lyon were in the France squad for the 2-1 win against Bosnia-Herzegovina in midweek but they will be on opposing sides in the third round of French league matches. Five-times champions Lyon are fourth in the table after dropping two points at home against Toulouse FC, while Bordeaux are third on goal difference after winning their first two games.

Chasing Lyon
Bordeaux newcomer Johan Micoud scored the only goal of the game at promoted FC Lorient last week and he said: "The aim this season is to push Lyon as much as we can. They are ahead of all the other sides on the starting line but such a hierarchy is made to be broken up, isn't it?" Lyon trainer Robert Duverne, meanwhile, warned not to read too much into this one encounter. "I don't think this game will tell us more about who will be on top at the end of the campaign," he said.

Bordeaux hopeful
In the same fixture last term, Lyon drew 1-1 in Bordeaux and Brazilian centre-back Cris believes his side can go one better this time. "I think we can win there this season," said Cris, who hopes to make his first start of the new campaign alongside Claudio Caçapa or Sébastien Squillaci. Bordeaux have not beaten Lyon since May 1999, when they went on to win the title. "We have a chance to defy the odds," said manager Ricardo, who signed Stéphane Dalmat as his second new face earlier in the week. "Our players have come back from the French team with more confidence and this will help the whole squad."

UEFA Cup rivals
In other key matches, current league leaders LOSC Lille Métropole travel to Paris Saint-Germain FC, while AJ Auxerre and Olympique de Marseille, who will feature in next week's UEFA Cup second qualifying round, meet at the Abbé Deschamps.

Selected for you