Ligue 1 - Round 28 preview - France
Stade Rennais - Paris Saint-Germain
PSG and Rennes kick the weekend off in a clash of the underachievers.The rouge-et-noir started the season well enough, but remain deep in despond at the moment with just two wins in twenty games in all competitions.They remain clear of the relegation zone - for now - but defeat to PSG could put them in all sorts of trouble.The Parisiens are by no means safe themselves; while they've fought their way up from the dropzone, they are just two points clear of it. But their away record, while positive, is deteriorating...
Tip:x2 or under /2.5
AJ Auxerre - RC Lens
Auxerre, meanwhile, welcome Lens to town for another match between two sides capable of better.The hosts have won three of their last four in the Ligue, and are on a formidable unbeaten home run. However, that defeat to Marseille last week - with old boy Djibril Cisse heavily involved - dampened the spirits.Papin's Lens, meanwhile, have stopped shedding goals since the New Year, but remain just three points into the safety zone and three behind the Auxerrois.However, they've won here just twice in 25 attempts in the top flight, the last time coming way back in 1999.
Tip :1
SM Caen - Lorient FC
It's not quite a derby, but it's certainly an all-northern clash in Calvados this weekend, and an intriguing one at that.Caen's European dream is fading fast, with a dreadful run in 2008 seeing them slip down to a mere 35 points.Lorient, meanwhile, are two points above Malherbe, and remain a force to be reckoned with at home. Away from their downtown fortress in Brittany, though, it's quite different.At least their injury situation is clearing up.
Tip: Under 2.5 or x halftime or fulltime
AS Nancy-Lorraine - AS Monaco
Nancy, meanwhile, managed a 0-0 draw at Lorient last week, and may well be pleased to bring a point back to where they truly feel comfortable: Lorraine.They are now the only side to be unbeaten at home in the Ligue this season - although Lyon have picked up more points than them on their own turf - and Monaco had better beware.Indeed, the Monegasques, while no doubt jealous of Nancy's third place, have some atoning to do after a difficult start to the new year.Above all, they'll want revenge for that 3-1 home defeat meted out to them by ASNL earlier in the season.
Tip: x or 1x
OGC Nice - Le Mans UC
So too will Nice hope for - and perhaps even expect - a win over the side that left them defeated by two goals to nil earlier in the campaign.The heady days of fourth place are over for now on the Cote d'Azur, but overall Nice are still in the runnings for a European place, thanks in no small part to their hard-to-beat nature.However, a frustrating lack of victories - and an over-reliance on draws - has seen them suffer of late.MUC, meanwhile, slipped to a home defeat at Strasbourg at the weekend, but remain one point above their hosts - not bad for a side that many thought would be battling relegation.
Tip : x halftime or fulltime
Racing Strasbourg - FC Metz
Battling it with Metz, that is, who travel to Strasbourg for what could be an especially heated derby.Les Grenats may have picked up their third win of the season at home to Caen last week, but they're still marooned 16 points clear of safety, and even 13 points off 19th place.Strasbourg, then, will be licking their chops in anticipation of an easy prey. But they shouldn't be too complacent: Metz comfortably topped Ligue 2 last season, beating Racing at home in the process.The border men, however, won on their own patch, and will expect the same here.
Tip: 1
Toulouse FC - FC Sochaux-Montbeliard
Of a day full of close-fought encounters in a bunched table, this may actually be the best match of them all. TEF, just one point about Sochaux, welcome the Lionceaux to the south coast for a true relegation battle.Sochaux sit in second-to-last place, but they are far from out of it yet after a spirited return to form saw them start 2008 in some style, even if the results didn't always follow.Toulouse, meanwhile, are on a fairly dreadful run, and one that shows little sign of letting up. Even Johan Elmander's gone off the boil, although a lack of service is probably just as culpable.In any case, they need to rediscover the kind of form that saw them do so well last season. Bizarrely, they also need to overturn the fact that they have played five top-flight matches with FCSM and failed to win any of them.
Tip: 1
Valenciennces AFC - Lille OSC
Valenciennes, meanwhile, have themselves began to sink away from the promotion spots to some extent, but will still hope for their home record to see them through here.Having won nine matches on their own turf, they'll be confident of giving Lille yet another reason to be fearful of the run-in.The north-east side have slumped to within three points of the relegation zone, and although their form since the new year has improved overall, last week's predictable loss to Lyon will have resulted with quite a muted week in the north-east.
Tip: Over 2.5
Olympique Marseille - AS Saint Etienne
Marseille welcome Saint Etienne to begin Sunday's action in typically dramatic fashion. Two of the more storied names of French football come together, although there is but one clear favourite.Or is there? ASSE may have an appalling away record overall, but their last road game resulted in a 3-1 win over Caen.Marseille, though, are on a tremendous winning run at the Velodrome, although their midweek UEFA Cup action will no doubt have tired them out to some extent.Still, another three points on the board here will put them back on track for yet another season of Champions League football.
Tip: 1 or over 2.5
Olympique Lyonnais - Girondins de Bordeaux
Both Lyon and Bordeaux are good bets to join Europe's premier competition next season, too, but right now the title is of far greater importance.OL may generally have the Ligue wrapped up by April, but this time around just three points separate them from the Girondins.The hosts' loss to Manchester United midweek will have sapped a bit of morale, as well as energy, as have disputes over squad selection and player positioning. Nevertheless, they managed a good result against Lille last week, and won 3-1 in Bordeaux last year.However, the Girondins won this fixture at the Gerland last season, and are high on confidence here. Wendel, who hit a hat-trick against PSG last week, has billed it as all-or-nothing: if that's correct, a loss is unthinkable...
Tip : Over 2.5 or 1x
PSG and Rennes kick the weekend off in a clash of the underachievers.The rouge-et-noir started the season well enough, but remain deep in despond at the moment with just two wins in twenty games in all competitions.They remain clear of the relegation zone - for now - but defeat to PSG could put them in all sorts of trouble.The Parisiens are by no means safe themselves; while they've fought their way up from the dropzone, they are just two points clear of it. But their away record, while positive, is deteriorating...
Tip:x2 or under /2.5
AJ Auxerre - RC Lens
Auxerre, meanwhile, welcome Lens to town for another match between two sides capable of better.The hosts have won three of their last four in the Ligue, and are on a formidable unbeaten home run. However, that defeat to Marseille last week - with old boy Djibril Cisse heavily involved - dampened the spirits.Papin's Lens, meanwhile, have stopped shedding goals since the New Year, but remain just three points into the safety zone and three behind the Auxerrois.However, they've won here just twice in 25 attempts in the top flight, the last time coming way back in 1999.
Tip :1
SM Caen - Lorient FC
It's not quite a derby, but it's certainly an all-northern clash in Calvados this weekend, and an intriguing one at that.Caen's European dream is fading fast, with a dreadful run in 2008 seeing them slip down to a mere 35 points.Lorient, meanwhile, are two points above Malherbe, and remain a force to be reckoned with at home. Away from their downtown fortress in Brittany, though, it's quite different.At least their injury situation is clearing up.
Tip: Under 2.5 or x halftime or fulltime
AS Nancy-Lorraine - AS Monaco
Nancy, meanwhile, managed a 0-0 draw at Lorient last week, and may well be pleased to bring a point back to where they truly feel comfortable: Lorraine.They are now the only side to be unbeaten at home in the Ligue this season - although Lyon have picked up more points than them on their own turf - and Monaco had better beware.Indeed, the Monegasques, while no doubt jealous of Nancy's third place, have some atoning to do after a difficult start to the new year.Above all, they'll want revenge for that 3-1 home defeat meted out to them by ASNL earlier in the season.
Tip: x or 1x
OGC Nice - Le Mans UC
So too will Nice hope for - and perhaps even expect - a win over the side that left them defeated by two goals to nil earlier in the campaign.The heady days of fourth place are over for now on the Cote d'Azur, but overall Nice are still in the runnings for a European place, thanks in no small part to their hard-to-beat nature.However, a frustrating lack of victories - and an over-reliance on draws - has seen them suffer of late.MUC, meanwhile, slipped to a home defeat at Strasbourg at the weekend, but remain one point above their hosts - not bad for a side that many thought would be battling relegation.
Tip : x halftime or fulltime
Racing Strasbourg - FC Metz
Battling it with Metz, that is, who travel to Strasbourg for what could be an especially heated derby.Les Grenats may have picked up their third win of the season at home to Caen last week, but they're still marooned 16 points clear of safety, and even 13 points off 19th place.Strasbourg, then, will be licking their chops in anticipation of an easy prey. But they shouldn't be too complacent: Metz comfortably topped Ligue 2 last season, beating Racing at home in the process.The border men, however, won on their own patch, and will expect the same here.
Tip: 1
Toulouse FC - FC Sochaux-Montbeliard
Of a day full of close-fought encounters in a bunched table, this may actually be the best match of them all. TEF, just one point about Sochaux, welcome the Lionceaux to the south coast for a true relegation battle.Sochaux sit in second-to-last place, but they are far from out of it yet after a spirited return to form saw them start 2008 in some style, even if the results didn't always follow.Toulouse, meanwhile, are on a fairly dreadful run, and one that shows little sign of letting up. Even Johan Elmander's gone off the boil, although a lack of service is probably just as culpable.In any case, they need to rediscover the kind of form that saw them do so well last season. Bizarrely, they also need to overturn the fact that they have played five top-flight matches with FCSM and failed to win any of them.
Tip: 1
Valenciennces AFC - Lille OSC
Valenciennes, meanwhile, have themselves began to sink away from the promotion spots to some extent, but will still hope for their home record to see them through here.Having won nine matches on their own turf, they'll be confident of giving Lille yet another reason to be fearful of the run-in.The north-east side have slumped to within three points of the relegation zone, and although their form since the new year has improved overall, last week's predictable loss to Lyon will have resulted with quite a muted week in the north-east.
Tip: Over 2.5
Olympique Marseille - AS Saint Etienne
Marseille welcome Saint Etienne to begin Sunday's action in typically dramatic fashion. Two of the more storied names of French football come together, although there is but one clear favourite.Or is there? ASSE may have an appalling away record overall, but their last road game resulted in a 3-1 win over Caen.Marseille, though, are on a tremendous winning run at the Velodrome, although their midweek UEFA Cup action will no doubt have tired them out to some extent.Still, another three points on the board here will put them back on track for yet another season of Champions League football.
Tip: 1 or over 2.5
Olympique Lyonnais - Girondins de Bordeaux
Both Lyon and Bordeaux are good bets to join Europe's premier competition next season, too, but right now the title is of far greater importance.OL may generally have the Ligue wrapped up by April, but this time around just three points separate them from the Girondins.The hosts' loss to Manchester United midweek will have sapped a bit of morale, as well as energy, as have disputes over squad selection and player positioning. Nevertheless, they managed a good result against Lille last week, and won 3-1 in Bordeaux last year.However, the Girondins won this fixture at the Gerland last season, and are high on confidence here. Wendel, who hit a hat-trick against PSG last week, has billed it as all-or-nothing: if that's correct, a loss is unthinkable...
Tip : Over 2.5 or 1x
posted by Midnight Sun @ 12:22,
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