Ligue 1 preview: PSG face Lyon test

League leaders Paris Saint-Germain visit Lyon in Ligue 1 this week, while Montpellier play host to a resurgent Bordeaux side.

PSG were held 2-2 at home to second-placed Montpellier last week, and lead the standings by just one point after drawing their last two league fixtures.

They have another difficult task on Saturday, with a trip to face Remi Garde’s Lyon.

The team from Stade de Gerland are sixth on the table, and without a win in their last three matches.

But with a 1-0 first-leg victory over Apoel Nicosia earlier this month, Lyon are on track to reach the Champions League quarter-finals and remain a dangerous prospect for the Ligue 1 front runners.

PSG defender Mamadou Sakho knows the pressure is on his team to produce following heavy investment and the arrival of Carlo Ancelotti as coach in December.

“People are very demanding when it comes to PSG,” Sakho told Ligue 1.com.

“You have to remember that a lot of the players arrived either last summer or in January.”

“Football is not magic, you have to adapt to new players and the qualities that they bring.”

“We are doing this match by match and while the individual talent is there we are still making progress as a team.”

In other matches on Saturday, two promoted teams meet in Corsica when Ajaccio host Dijon.

Auxerre, third from bottom, will hope to escape the relegation zone with a victory at home to St Etienne.

Evian, 15th on the table and without a win in four matches, host 16th-placed Nancy, who are winless in three outings.

Caen, unbeaten in three, will fancy their chances away to second-bottom Nice, while 10th plays 12th respectively when Valenciennes host Lorient.

On Sunday, defending champions Lille, third in the standings, can keep pace with the top two if they win away to seventh-placed Stade Rennes.

Fourth-placed Marseille, unbeaten in nine league matches, must win away to Brest if they are to continue their rise up the table.

And bottom side Sochaux will hope their first win in 12 league matches arrives at eighth-placed Toulouse.