Ligue 1 Round 16 Preview: Marseille travels to Caen on Friday night, before PSG looks to return to winning ways against Auxerre

Leaders Montpellier host Lorient, as champions Lille prepare for a crucial Champions League game on Wednesday with a trip to Ajaccio. Goal.com previews round 16 of Ligue 1

Dec 2, 2011 7:30:00 AM

By Mohammed Ali

More On :  AC Ajaccio, AJ Auxerre, AS Nancy-Lorraine, AS Saint-Etienne, Bordeaux, Dijon FCO, Evian Thonon Gaillard, FC Lorient, Lille , Marseille, Montpellier HSC, O. Lyon, OGC Nice, PSG, SM Caen, Sochaux, Stade Brestois 29, Stade Rennais FC, Toulouse FC, Valenciennes FC
Ligue 1 - Kevin Gameiro (PSG)
Panoramic


Ligue 1: Round 16 Preview

Friday DECEMBER 2
 KO
 Saturday DECEMBER 3 KO
 Caen - Olympique de Marseille
 1400
 Ajaccio - Lille
 1300


Stade Brestois - Saint Etienne 1300


Dijon - Sochaux 1300
    Evian - Valenciennes 1300
    Montpellier - FC Lorient
 1300
    OGC Nice - Stade Rennes   1500
    Sunday DECEMBER 4  KO

  Bordeaux - Nancy
 1100
              all kick-off in CET

PSG - Auxerre

Olympique Lyonnais - Toulouse

1100

1500

Caen vs Marseille

PROBABLE LINEUPS


Thebaux
Vandam, Sorbon, Herteaux, Raineau
Hamouma, Seube, Proment, Bulot
Nangis
Frau

Marseille
Mandanda
Azpilicueta, N'Koulou, Diawara, Morel
Amalfitano, Cheyrou, Mbia
Valbuena, J Ayew, A Ayew
TEAM NEWS
  • Caen was defeated 2-0 by Bordeaux on matchday 15.
  • Les Malherbes has failed to win nine of its last 11 home games against Marseille.
  • This fixture was rescheduled earlier to accommodate OM's trip to Dortmund on Tuesday as Ligue 1 aims to protect its UEFA ranking.

 

  
  • Marseille produced its best performance of the season so far by beating PSG 3-0 in the Derby de France.
  • L'OM is unbeaten in four at Stade Michel d'Ornano.
  • Didier Deschamps' men have scored the most amount of headed goals in the top five European leagues this season.

Ajaccio
 vs Lille

PROBABLE LINEUPS
AC Ajaccio
Ochoa,
Lippini, Medjani, Poulard, Mendy
Mostafa, Pierazzi
Cavalli, Sammaritano
Ilan, Socrier
  

Lille
Landreau
Bonnart, Rozehnal, Chedjou, Beria
Mavuba, Pedretti, Gueye
Payet, Sow, Hazard
TEAM NEWS
  • Ajaccio was defeated 3-1 by Saint Etienne on matchday 15.
  • Ajaccio has failed to win nine of their last 10 games against les Dogues.
  • Olivier Pantaloni's men are also winless in their last ten in Ligue 1.
  
  • Lille beat Brest 2-0 last weekend.
  • Rudi Garcia's men remain the only team that are unbeaten away from home in Ligue 1.     
  • Les Dogues is unbeaten in 13 league games, winning seven and drawing six.
  
Brest
 vs Saint Etienne

PROBABLE LINE-UPS
 
Elana
Coulibaly, Zebina, Ewolo, Makonda
Poyet, Grougi, Culma, Lesoimier
Roux, Baset
  

AS Saint-Etienne
Ruffier 
Ebondo, Paulao, Mignot, Ghoulam
Lemoine, Clement
Aubemayang, Nicolita, Sako
Sinama Pongolle
TEAM NEWS
  • Stade Brestois was defeated 2-0 by Lille last weekend.
  • Brest is unbeaten at home this season.
  • Alex Dupont's men have won two consecutive home games this season.
  
  • Saint Etienne comfortably dispatched Ajaccio 3-1 on matchday 15.
  • Les Verts has avoided defeat in only two of their seven trips to Brest.
  • The visitors lost this game 2-0 last season.

 

Dijon
 vs Sochaux

PROBABLE LINE-UPS

 
Dijon FCO
Reynet
Bamba, Zarour, Paulle, Souprayen
Marcq, Sangare, Altama, Corgnet, Bautheac
Jovial


FC Sochaux
 Richert
Corchia, Carlao, Peybernes, Sauget
Anin,
Boudebouz, Martin, Mikari
Butin, Maiga
TEAM NEWS
  • Dijon beat Nancy 2-1 last weekend.
  • Patrice Carteron's men have won two consecutive games.
  • Dijon has been beaten in every league game this season that they have been trailing.

  
  • Sochaux was undone by Olivier Giroud's hat-trick as Montpellier won 3-1 last weekend.
  • Les Lionceaux has now conceded 50 goals in 2011.
  • Mecha Bazdarevic's men are winless in their last five league games.

Evian
 vs Valenciennes

PROBABLE LINE-UPS

Evian Thonon Gaillard
Laquait
Djedje, Cambon, Angoula, Ehret
Leroy, Barbosa, Poulsen, Wass
Khelifa, Sagbo 


  

Penneteau
Mater, Mirin, Benjamin, Bong
Gomis, Cohade
Samassa, Kadir, Danic
Aboubakar
TEAM NEWS
  • Evian was beaten 3-2 by Rennes last weekend.
  • Bernard Casoni's men have scored in their last eight games.
  • Yannick Sagbo has five goals at home this season so far.
  
  • Valenciennes succumbed to a 2-0 defeat against Toulouse last weekend.
  • VAFC has won just two of their previous 33 away games.
  • The two sides last played against each other in Championnat National (France's third division) in 2004-05 when Evian were known as Croix de Savoie.

Montpellier vs Lorient

PROBABLE LINE-UPS

  
Montpellier HSC
Jourden
Bedimo, Hilton, Yanga-Mbiwa, Bocaly
Saihi, Estrada
Cabella, Utaka, Marveaux
Giroud

  
FC Lorient
Lecomte
Pedrinho, Bourillon, Manga, Mareque
Jouffre, Romao, Mvuemba, Monnet-Paquet
Emeghera, Campbell
TEAM NEWS
  • Montpellier was inspired by Olivier Giroud's hat-trick which saw them beat Sochaux 3-1 last weekend.
  • Rene Girard's men are unbeaten in their last seven games.
  • Giroud is the first player to score 11 goals before 15 Ligue 1 games since Karim Benzema in 2007.
  
  • Lorient edged out OGC Nice 1-0 last weekend.
  • Lorient beat Montpellier 2-1 in the Coupe de la Ligue last month.
  • Christian Gourcuff's men have lost their last three away league games.

 

OGC Nice vs Stade Rennes

PROBABLE LINE-UPS
 
OGC Nice
Ospina
Clerc, Pecjinovic, Civelli, Coulibaly
Hellebuyck, Diakhite, Meriem, Abriel
Pentecote, 
Mounier

  
Stade Rennais FC
Costil
Danze, Mandjeck, Mangane, Catherine
Doumbia, M'Vila
Hadji, Feret, Pitroipa
Montano
TEAM NEWS
  • Nice was beaten 1-0 by Lorient on matchday 15.
  • New boss Rene Marsiglia is still searching for his first win, his team hasn't scored under his tenure yet.
  • All but one of Nice's 11 points so far have come from home games.

 

  
  • Rennes secured a comeback 3-2 win over Evian last weekend.
  • Les Rouge et Noir was eliminated from the Europa League on Wednesday.
  • Frederic Antoinetti's men are unbeaten in five trips to the Stade du Ray.

Bordeaux
 vs Nancy

PROBABLE LINE-UPS

Carrasso
Chalme, Henrique, Ciani, Tremoulinas
Ben Khalfallah, Plasil, N'Guemo, Maurice-Belay
Gouffran, Diabate
  

  

Gregorini
Calve, Andre Luis, Loties, Lemaitre
Cuvillier, Diakhite, Sane, Karaboue
M'Bile, Niculae


TEAM NEWS
  • Bordeaux comfortably beat Caen to register a much needed 2-0 win on matchday 15.
  • Bordeaux is unbeaten in seven home games.
  • Yann Gouffran has scored one goal in each of the last five games.

 

  
  • Nancy was beaten 2-1 by Dijon last weekend.
  • ASNL has avoided defeat in just seven of its last 26 games away to Bordeaux.
  • Nancy has only one away win this season - away to PSG two weeks ago.

PSG vs Auxerre

PROBABLE LINE-UPS


     
Sirigu
Ceara, Sakho, Lugano, Armand
Matuidi, Sissoko
Menez, Pastore, Nene
Gameiro

  


Sorin
Dudka, Boly, Grichting, Berthod
Cisse, Oliech
Chafni, Traore, Haddad
Le Tallec
TEAM NEWS
  • PSG was thumped 3-0 by Olympique de Marseille in the Derby de France last weekend.
  • Les Parisiens was beaten 2-0 by RB Salzburg in the Europa League.
  • Antoine Koumbouare's men have not scored in two games, and have lost in their last three. Only Nice and Ajaccio are faring worse.
  
  • Auxerre was comfortably beaten 3-0 by Lyon last weekend.
  • Laurent Fournier's men have won three of their last five games at Parc des Princes.
  • AJA has lost six of its last seven games.

 

Lyon
 vs Toulouse

PROBABLE LINE-UPS

   Lloris  
Reveilliere, Kone, Cris, Cissokho
Fofana, Kallstrom
Briand, Ederson, Lacazette
Lisandro Lopez
  

  
Toulouse FC
Ahamada
Akpa-Akpro, Congre, Abdennour, M'Bengue
Capoue
Machado, Braaten, Sissoko, Tabanou
Bulut
TEAM NEWS
  • Lyon thrashed Auxerre 3-0 last Sunday.
  • Les Gones are unbeaten at home against Toulouse
  • Remi Garde's men have gone 13 games without defeat, winning seven and drawing five.

 

  
  • Toulouse secured a 2-0 victory against Valenciennes on matchday 15.
  • Le Tefece has not scored in their last three away games.
  • Alain Casanova's men have kept the most clean sheets in Ligue 1 (nine out of 15 matches).

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