Paris prepares for Le Classique

Meetings between Paris Saint-Germain FC and Olympique de Marseille are always eagerly awaited in France, but this weekend's encounter at the Parc des Princes will be even more significant than usual as the two challenge for Ligue 1 glory.

Tightly bunched
Leaders Olympique Lyonnais are eyeing an eighth consecutive league crown this season but after picking up just one point from their last two games they have allowed the chasing pack to close in, with the top four separated by four points. PSG are now just a single point behind the pacesetters but could be joined by Marseille if Les Minots win in Paris on Sunday, by which time they could both have been overtaken by Toulouse FC should Alain Casanova's men win at AC Monaco FC 24 hours earlier.

'Le Classique'
OM will have their work cut out. As Lyon falter, PSG go from strength to strength. They are on a seven-match unbeaten run, which has included six wins, and have already beaten Erik Gerets's side once this term, 4-2 at the Stade Vélodrome back in October. Guillaume Hoarau scored a double on his debut in Le Classique that day and is the club's top scorer in the league with 15 goals. "Before, I used to watch these games on TV," Hoarau said. "Now I'm part of it. I can't wait but I want to prepare for it like any other game."

UEFA Cup disappointment
Both teams are close to full strength, though PSG are without centre-back Mamadou Sakho (ankle knock) and midfielder Stéphane Sessegnon (suspended), and both come into the game after disappointing UEFA Cup outings on Thursday. The Paris side have it all to do in their Round of 16 tie after they were held in the French capital by SC Braga, and while Marseille did capitalise on home advantage against AFC Ajax, a 2-1 win was perhaps scant reward after playing over half the match with a one-man advantage. They also lost defender Laurent Bonnart for at least two months after he sustained a thigh injury towards the end of the game.

High stakes
The two clubs used to regularly challenge each other for the league title during the 1990s, but have not met in Ligue 1 with the stakes so high since Lyon's rise to prominence. Le Classique generates the highest viewing figures in France, and there will be extra spice as the 58th edition could potentially finish with PSG at the top of the table. Such an opportunity would arise if Lyon falter at home to AJ Auxerre earlier the same evening. In that meeting, Les Gones will be hoping to end a five-game winless run in all competitions, having exited both the French Cup and the UEFA Champions League already this month.