Brief news ahead of this weekend's Ligue 1 matches.
Brief news ahead of this weekend's Ligue 1 matches.
Olympique Marseille coach Didier Deschamps, whose side meet Manchester United in the Champions League next week, has warned his third-placed team not to take St Etienne lightly on Saturday (1800 GMT) despite their 4-1 loss to Lyon last weekend.
"The defeat in the derby does not take anything away from the qualities which the team showed before. St Etienne have good potential and are enjoying a successful season," Deschamps told reporters.
Midfielder Stephane Dalmat could return for second-placed Stades Rennes at Toulouse on Sunday (2000) after coach Frederic Antonetti refused to castigate his player for being stopped by police and breathalysed in the early hours.
"I know of cases a lot worse but they don't come out in the press. If you knew everything that happened in soccer clubs and especially national teams....," the coach said.
"I'm not saying it was a good thing, but it's part of a private life. Everyone must set an example, not just footballers. It's not a big thing for me."
Girondins Bordeaux were so upset with the refereeing in last weekend's 2-1 home defeat by Caen that club owner Nicolas de Tavernost told newspaper Sud-Ouest he had written to the French Football Federation to complain. Jean Tigana''s mid-table side visit FC Lorient on Saturday (2000).
Leaders Lille travel to Montpellier on Sunday (1600) with confidence still high despite conceding two late goals in Thursday''s 2-2 Europa League last 32 first leg draw at home to PSV Eindhoven. "We didn't see a Lille side inferior to PSV," coach Rudi Garcia told reporters.
Fourth-placed Paris St Germain, who drew 2-2 at BATE Borisov in the Europa League, visit Nice on Sunday (1600) with centre back Sylvain Armand set to return after being poleaxed by his own goalkeeper in last weekend's draw with Racing Lens.
Claude Makelele and Siaka Tiene are also poised to come back into the side after the former was rested for the trip to Belarus and the latter was suspended.
Struggling Auxerre are grappling with injuries for the visit of bottom side AC Arles-Avignon on Saturday (1800) but Benoit Pedretti could return.
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