Grounds staff around have been working overtime during the last week to keep these Coupe de France quarter-finals on schedule, but still the French Football Federation (FFF) has opted to bring forward Lyon's clash with Bordeaux to 16:15 CET in an effort to avoid the worst of what the weather in central France has been dishing up over the last week.

Cris, Gourcuff to steady the ship (Kick-off at 16:15 CET)

After coming from behind twice in the last week to rescue a Coupe de la Ligue qualification against Lorient and a 2-2 draw in the Olympico in Marseille, Lyon will be out to make easier work of Bordeaux in their last-16 clash at the Stade Gerland.

Coach Rémi Garde should have captain Cris, who missed the trip to Marseille, back in the centre of defence to shore up his recently porous backline, while Yoann Gourcuff - fit again after a knee injury - is tipped for a return to action against his former club in his habitual playmaker role.

Still, it will be no easy task against a Bordeaux side who swept to a 2-0 win over Toulouse in the league on Saturday to take their record to seven wins, two draws and a loss in their last ten matches in all competitions.

Probable teams:

Lyon: Lloris; Réveillère, Cris (c), B. Koné, Cissokho; Gonalons, Källström; Ederson, Gourcuff, Lacazette; Lisandro (or Gomis)

Bordeaux: Carrasso; Mariano, Henrique, Planus, Ciani, Trémoulinas; Obraniak, Nguemo, Plasil; Maurice-Belay, Jussiê (or Gouffran)

The derby of the North (Kick-off at 19:00 CET)

Coupe de France holders and reigning French champions Lille travel to neighbours Valenciennes for the derby of the North with some pressure on their shoulders as they look take on the biggest challenge so far in their cup defence.

Knocked out of the Champions League and the Coupe de la Ligue, Lille will be out to give a strong Coupe de France showing in Valenciennes - who secured a confidence-boosting first away win of the season, 2-1 in Dijon on Saturday - as they look to live up to the high standards they set last season with a league and cup double.

Rudi Garcia's full-strength squad should be raring to go after having Sunday's Week 22 clash in Sochaux postponed, with ex-Toulouse defender Mauro Cetto set to debut while fellow new recruit Nolan Roux looks to pick up where he left off after scoring two goals on debut in the 3-0 league win over Saint-Etienne in Week 21.

Probable teams:

Valenciennes: Penneteau; Mater (c), Isimat-Mirin, Gil, Bong; Cohade, Gomis, Camara; Kadir, Aboubakar, Danic

Lille: Landreau; Debuchy, Cetto, Chedjou, Béria; Mavuba (c), Balmont, Pedretti; Cole (or Payet), Roux, Hazard

Montpellier look to keep cruising (Kick-off at 20:00 CET)

Montpellier have had perhaps the most favourable draw of all the Ligue 1 clubs, having routed CFA2 (D5) side AS Prix-lès-Mézières 4-0 before disposing of Ligue 2 side Tours 1-0 in the last 32, and take on another second-tier side in the form of Châteauroux for a place in the quarter-finals.

In highly effective form in both league and cup since the beginning of 2012, René Girard's men have won their last five in all competitions but with the last four victories coming 1-0 Châteauroux can hope to shut out their visitors and possibly spring an upset.

While they will have to contend with the prowess of Ligue 1 top-scorer Olivier Giroud, whose 15 league goals have played an enormous role in Montpellier's climbing to - and staying in - second place in the league, they can take some comfort from the fact that the rangy forward has struck just once in the Coupe de France this season. Furthermore, Montpellier will be without playmaker Geoffrey Dernis, a knee sprain picked up in the weekend's 1-0 win over Brest set to keep him out of action for the next six weeks.

Probable teams:

Montpellier: Pionnier; Bocaly, Stambouli, Hilton, Jeunechamp; Pitau (c), Estrada, Belhanda; Cabella, Aït-Fana; Camara

>> Coupe de France last-16 fixtures/results

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