The match of Round 34 takes place on Sunday evening as Lyon entertain Lille as two of the four Ligue 1 Uber Eats title contenders go head to head.
LYON - LILLE
(kick-off at 19:00 GMT on Sunday)
>> LIVE SCORING, STATISTICS AND COMMENTARY
Lille, leaders heading into the weekend matches, know that they are there to be shot at and coach Christophe Galtier admitted: "The reality is that the gaps are small and from one round of matches to the next we could find ourselves first or fourth. We might be fourth come 23:00 local time on Sunday evening. In the game after that we'll host Nice and we'll need to play that to win it. Then we'll see about the other matches. There's no pressure because these are beautiful things for us. I'd like to remind everybody that LOSC will be in Europe next season and that 16 other clubs would love to be in our position."
OL kick off the weekend fourth in the table but with the possibility of leapfrogging LOSC this weekend to make up for the disappointment of their midweek home defeat to Monaco - another title challenger - in the quarter-finals of the Coupe de France. Galtier said: "Lyon will do everything they can to beat us and put us under pressure. I don't know the formation they'll use against us but I know that they will try to suffocate us. We'll need to deal with their strengths and make the most of their weaknesses. We need to be more precise, especially in front of goal."
Galtier: "Rudi, none of your directors has contacted me"
Reacting to press speculation linking him with taking over from Rudi Garcia at OL in the summer, Galtier said: "I let people talk. I don't say anything on this subject anymore because I know nobody believes me. My players know that I am with them and whatever is said will have no impact on our squad. When I see Rudi Garcia I will be able to tell him: 'Rudi, none of your directors has contacted me'."
Lyon used a system featuring three centre-halves against Monaco on Wednesday but paid for failing to take their chances - hitting the woodwork three times - as they fell 2-0. Sinaly Diomandé is suspended following his red card against the Principality club and captain Memhis Depay will be suspended for the home game against Lorient in Round 36 after collecting three yellow cards in under ten appearances.
Garcia: "We have five finals to play"
Garcia will be up in the stands on Sunday following his dismissal against Monaco. Garcia, who led LOSC to the Ligue 1-Coupe de France double in 2010-2011, said: "We have five finals to play and we have to have that commando spirit. We are fourth and we can only do better. We have to bite into this crazy end of season. We'll do everything we can against Lille in order to move up the table. That gives us extra motivation, especially as we're frustrated with Wednesday's match. We have the chance to respond in style. Lille are top and they're having an extraordinary season. We have the possibility of overtaking them in the table. It won't be easy but that is what we want out of Sunday."
Probable Teams:
Lyon: Lopes – Dubois, Marcelo, Denayer, Cornet – Caqueret, Guimarães – Paqueta, Depay, Toko Ekambi – Slimani
Lille: Maignan – Celik, Fonte, Botman, Reinildo – André, Soumaré, Bamba, Ikoné – David, Yilmaz
>> Who makes the combined LOSC 2011/2021 team?
