Panoramic
| PROBABLE LINEUPS |
LYON  Lloris Reveilliere, Kone, Lovren/Cris, CissokhoLacazette, Gonalons, Kallstrom, Bastos Lisandro Lopez, Gomis | LILLE  EnyeamaDebuchy, Chedjou, Rozehnal, DigneBalmont, Mavuba, Pedretti Cole, Roux, Hazard |
Lyon coach Remi Garde looks set to keep faith in his faltering starting line-up, with few changes expected from the side that suffered a Champions League exit at the hands of minnows APOEL Nicosia on penalties on Wednesday. With Saturday's Ligue 1 encounter holding significant importance for les Gones who are seven points behind the visitors, the fight is on to secure qualification for next season's Champions League campaign.
Bafetimbi Gomis, who only made a late appearance in the Cypriot capital on Wednesday evening is expected to line-up alongside the mis-firing Lisandro. Alexandre Lacazette, who missed a penalty in the resulting shootout is also likely to return to the starting eleven in favour of Jimmy Briand who played 100 minutes in midweek.
Dejan Lovren, who has not played since December 21 could also be favoured for a starting berth in favour of Cris, with the Croatia international recovering from a long standing Achilles injury. Yoann Gourcuff sits out with an adductor injury, joining Mathieu Valverde and Jonathan Mensah on the sidelines.
Lille could be without Mickael Landreau after the goalkeeper suffered an ankle injury. Though the custodian could still face a late fitness test, Rudi Garcia will be able to call upon Nigeria international Vincent Enyeama. Lucas Digne continues his run in the first-team, with left-back Frank Beria still sidelined with injury along with Ronny Rodelin and Papa Souare. Mauro Cetto is suspended.
| DID YOU KNOW? |
- Olympique Lyonnais are on a poor run of form, winning only once in their last eight games.
- Les Gones have lost ten league matches in a season for the first time in 12 years.
- Remi Garde's men have failed to keep a clean sheet in nine straight games, having only achieved that feat in nine games from a possible 42 this season.
- Had the season started in 2012, Lyon would have been 17th in the table.
- Lille have failed to win in any of their last six trips to Stade Gerland.
- Les Dogues sit third in the table after a second consecutive draw against Auxerre last weekend.
- Rudi Garcia's side have won just one of six away games against sides currently in the top half of the Ligue 1 table.
- Lille have conceded six goals against Lisandro Lopez on the four occasions they have faced the Argentine.
A difficult match to predict, in all honesty. Lyon will want to put their midweek Champions League exit by pushing to secure qualification for next season, though with another important game in the space of three days may limit their chances. Moreover, a visit from the French champions who share the same aim will hopefully transmit into an enthralling game on Saturday evening. A 2-2 draw is my prediction.
Editor's Prediction
Lyon 2-2 Lille 
