Saturday
19:00 Caen –St Etienne
19:00 Lorient – Nancy
19:00 Montpellier – Stade Rennais
19:00 Nice – Lens
19:00 Toulouse – Sochaux
19:00 Valenciennes – Monaco
21:00 Auxerre – PSG
19:00 Caen –St Etienne
19:00 Lorient – Nancy
19:00 Montpellier – Stade Rennais
19:00 Nice – Lens
19:00 Toulouse – Sochaux
19:00 Valenciennes – Monaco
21:00 Auxerre – PSG
Sunday
17:00 Brest – Bordeaux
17:00 Lyon – Arles
21:00 Marseille – Lille
17:00 Brest – Bordeaux
17:00 Lyon – Arles
21:00 Marseille – Lille
Caen –St Etienne
Caen have only won twice in their last five matches, those coming away at troubled Bordeaux and Auxerre. Top scorer Youssef El-Arabi remains fourth highest scorer in the division and scored for the first time in a month last week. Franck Dumas’ side are 14th in Ligue 1 – only four points off the relegation zone.
St Etienne are on a run of three straight defeats, and Les Verts have only notched up two wins in 2011 which preceded their torrid recent form. ASSE find themselves seventh in the table, three points off a potential European position.
- ASSE top scorer Dimitri Payet, who enjoyed a blistering start to the season has failed to find the net in a worrying 17 hours of football.
- Les Verts have left Caen with only three wins in their last 10 meetings.
- Caen have racked up six wins this season against teams in the top half of the table – the highest in the division.
Team News
Caen: Franck Dumas has six players out for this tie, including Romain Hamouna and Nicolas Saube.
Caen: Franck Dumas has six players out for this tie, including Romain Hamouna and Nicolas Saube.
St Etienne: Loris Nery and Boubacar Sanogo miss out for Les Verts who remain mainly unchanged.
Lorient – Nancy
Les Merius have lost just once in their last five games. Similarly in that time, their opponents Nancy have managed one win.
Lorient are three points off a European qualification spot in eighth. ASNL find themselves a concerning three points off the drop zone in 16th.
- Pablo Correa’s charges are yet to record a clean sheet away from Stade Marcel Picot this season.
- Kevin Gameiro (the league’s second highest scorer with 15 goals) has accounted for 47% of his team’s goals this season - a league high.
- The French striker also has four from his last five against Nancy since joining Lorient.
Team News
Lorient: Christian Gourcuff has a considerable injury list to worry about, however the first team should be mainly the same from the side that turned out last week.
Lorient: Christian Gourcuff has a considerable injury list to worry about, however the first team should be mainly the same from the side that turned out last week.
Nancy: Pablo Correa has Reynald Lemaitre and Jonathan Brison out of contention - no new injury worries, though.
Montpellier – Rennes
Montpellier have amassed 38 points in Ligue 1 this season and sit comfortably in sixth, four points behind Lyon. They’ve lost only once in their last five games but have only won twice too.Highflyers Stade Rennais have won four on the trot since a 5-1 reverse away to Sochaux at the end of January. They are second in Ligue 1, with only Lille ahead of them, albeit only on goal difference.
- Montpellier have kept three clean sheets in the last three games. They have the third-lowest tally of goals in Ligue 1 with 21 strikes this season. They also have the third best defence in the league.
- Montpellier have won their last two encounters with Les Rouge et Noir.
- The last two encounters between these two have seen four red cards brandished.
Team News
Montpellier: Emir Spahic will miss the match due to suspension.
Montpellier: Emir Spahic will miss the match due to suspension.
Rennes: Yacine Brahimi, Jires Kembo-Ekoko and club captain Kader Mangane all returned to training and can be expected to feature.
Nice – Lens
Les Aiglons are 15th in the Ligue 1 table, having won two of their last five matches. They sit four points above the relegation zone.
Les Sang et Or are winless in five games, and are two points adrift of safety, but 13 ahead of stranded Arles-Avignon.
- Lens have failed to win their last 11 away games.
- Only four goals have been counted in the last six matches between the two.
- Nice have a slightly worrying record of only two wins in 22 encounters against Lens.
Team News
Nice: Gregory Paisley and Abdou Traore are still out with injury for Les Aiglons.
Nice: Gregory Paisley and Abdou Traore are still out with injury for Les Aiglons.
Lens: No fresh worries for Les Sang et Or with Adil Hermach not in contention for this match.
Toulouse – Sochaux
Toulouse have only managed to win once in their last five games and sit in 11th in the table, one point ahead of their opponents on Saturday. They also have won twice and lost five in 2011.
Sochaux are 12th, having recorded 32 points and sit an equal distance between the European qualification spots and the relegation zone (six points).
- Sochaux have picked up three red cards in their last four games.
- le Tefece have lost three on the trot.
- In their last 11 meetings, no draw has been recorded.
Team News
Toulouse: Le Tefece have Mauro Cetto and Marc Vidal doubtful for this game, they picked up injuries last week.
Toulouse: Le Tefece have Mauro Cetto and Marc Vidal doubtful for this game, they picked up injuries last week.
Sochaux: Jeremie Brechet and Edouard Butin are still on the treatment table, there are no new injury problems on the horizon for Les Lionceaux.
Valenciennes - Monaco
VFC are unbeaten in their last five games, and have only tasted defeat once in the league this calendar year. Philippe Montanier’s side are 13th.
The troubled principality club, who are in the relegation zone have drawn two, lost two and racked up one win in their last five. They are 18th, a point from safety with Auxerre ahead of them.
The troubled principality club, who are in the relegation zone have drawn two, lost two and racked up one win in their last five. They are 18th, a point from safety with Auxerre ahead of them.
- Monaco have lost their previous three encounters with VAFC
- They’ve also failed to win any of their last six away games.
- VA have won three of their last four home encounters.
Team News
Valenciennes: Gaetan Bong is the only new worry for VAFC. He won't feature in this match.
Valenciennes: Gaetan Bong is the only new worry for VAFC. He won't feature in this match.
Monaco: Chris Malunga and Daniel Niculae continue their recovery. There are no new worries for the principality club.
Brest – Bordeaux
Stade Brestois and Les Girondins come into this match, on the back of two wins, two losses and a draw in their last five league games. Similarly, they are 9th and 10th in the rankings. Jean Tigana (who offered to resign but was refused) knows that European football is a must, yet they are four points adrift of this objective.
- Bordeaux have lost their last four encounters against Brest – scoring one and conceding 12.
- Despite having the lion share of possession, Bordeaux succumbed 2-0 to Brest earlier this season.
- At home, Stade Brestois have never trailed at half-time this season.
Team News
Brest: Ahmed Kantari will miss this match for the home club. Alex Dupont also has Nolan Roux out.
Brest: Ahmed Kantari will miss this match for the home club. Alex Dupont also has Nolan Roux out.
Bordeaux: Jean Tigana has no fresh problems, Marc Planus should feature some point in this match as he returns to action.
Lyon – Arles
Les Gones have only lost once in the league since the end of September. Claude Puel’s men come on to this match against the leagues’ whipping boys unbeaten in their last five matches.
Arles travel to the Stade Gerland, winless since November, but are unbeaten in their last three, albeit only draws. They are a mammoth 15 points from safety.
- Lyon are unbeaten in their last nine matches at home, with six wins and three draws.
- The last match between them finished 1-1, ACCA’s only point against teams in the top five.
- Arles have managed to score in two consecutive games last week, the first time they’ve achieved that feat in Ligue 1.
Team News
Lyon: Cris won't play against Arles after suffering from tendinitis and was forced off in last weekend's draw against Lille. Lisandro and Ederson won't feature either, but the latter is nearing first-team action after being out since August. Kim Kallstrom and Aly Cissokho missed training, but may be rested.
Arles: Gael Germany has a torn thigh and abdominal muscle and is out for six to eight weeks. Kaba Diawara is a doubt as are Yann Kermogant (hernia) and Franck Dja Djedje (knee) who could be thrust into action soon.
Lyon: Cris won't play against Arles after suffering from tendinitis and was forced off in last weekend's draw against Lille. Lisandro and Ederson won't feature either, but the latter is nearing first-team action after being out since August. Kim Kallstrom and Aly Cissokho missed training, but may be rested.
Arles: Gael Germany has a torn thigh and abdominal muscle and is out for six to eight weeks. Kaba Diawara is a doubt as are Yann Kermogant (hernia) and Franck Dja Djedje (knee) who could be thrust into action soon.
