Podium place , FTW!

Montpellier Hérault SC vs. Olympique Lyonnais

Week 20 – Ligue 1, Stade de la Mosson.

Alive in four out of four competitions! Bravo Les Gones!

A potential rearranging of top league table spots is on the cards this weekend. Six of the top seven teams go head-to-head against each other – PSG vs. Toulouse (1 vs. 7), Montpellier vs. Lyon (2 vs. 4), Marseille vs. Lille (3 vs. 6). Only Rennes escapes punishment this week, for which it could well be thanking its stars.

As it stands today, the top seven teams are all within 9 points of each other. While this season hasn’t been particularly close in terms of points, it may well be attributed to the rise of a lot of significant (and durable) powers easing out the congestion at the top. This can only mean one thing.

Every point is really important!

Depleted Titans Lock Horns

Should Lyon beat Montpellier tonight at the Stade de la Mosson, they shall certainly move to the podium once again. If Lille doesn’t win against Marseille, the second place would be guaranteed!

Montpellier has had it tough against Lyon since its return to Ligue 1 in 2009. They have lost to Lyon more than any other side since. The last home victory for MHSC against Lyon came way back in 2001. Abdelhamid El-Kaoutari, Younes Belhanda (Morocco), Souleymane Camara (Senegal), and Jamel Saihi (Tunisia), will all miss out on this match, for the African Cup of Nations that starts next week. The main striker and leading scorer of Ligue 1 Olivier Giroud (13 goals) shoulders the expectations yet again for Montpellier. Karim Aït-Fana might make a comeback for the first time since last March, however.

An unexpectedly important part of the game could be Referee Stéphane Lannoy. He averages 4 yellow cards per match and 1 red card every three games for the last two seasons. Montpellier stand 17^th in Fair Play rankings with 38 yellow cards and 4 red cards. Lyon stand at 10^th spot in the same standings with 33 yellow cards and 4 red cards.

Add to that this being the third Lyon game for the week! Expect a visibly tired team trying to survive and attack on the counter.

But who is to make Lyon’s team? Coach Remi Garde faces immense headaches on selection. Michel Bastos – probably the best player for Lyon this year – will likely be seen in the role of an attacking… right back. That’s right folks. When you don’t have the money to buy new defenders, you do the next best thing to benching your star forwards. Put them into defense, of course! As long as it is a fairly temporary arrangement, it should do the team well, however.

Look at the absentees list : Bakary Koné (CAN), Cris (Thigh), Lovren (Achilles), Mensah (CAN), Réveillère (Hamstring), Sidy Koné (CAN), Dabo (Suspended), Cissokho (in Newcastle for a medical / injured depending on what reports you believe) and Gomis (Knee)!

It is a particularly disappointing state of affairs at crunch time of the season, when it is time to hit the ground running.

But every problem is an opportunity; and the reserves team will be buzzing with excitement at the prospect of featuring in a first division match much earlier than expected. Samuel Umtiti looks certain to pair up with Gonalons right in front of Hugo Lloris. Kolodziejczak could also be given a go in place of Cissokho. If a homegrown solution can be sustainable, Lyon would well and truly be back to growing their way out of financial troubles! Also, Bastos going into the defense frees up a spot on the midfield that Lacazette and Pied would want to fight out for.

Lisandro has been THE MAN since his return from injury! He has scored 9 times in his last 8 games for Lyon, averaging at 118 minutes per goal in the league – the best goals/minute for any player this season.

As for the team, it could be a well ‘Garded’ secret.

Possible Team Lineups

Montpellier: Jourdren – Bocaly, Yanga-Mbiwa, Hilton, Bédimo – Stambouli, Estrada, Cabella – Dernis, Giroud, Utaka

Lyon: Lloris – Bastos, Gonalons, Umtiti, Kolodziejczak – Grenier, Källström – Briand, Gourcuff, Lacazette – Lisandro

Edit : The 19 men squad travelling to Montpellier has been announced! Surprise surprise!

Lloris, Valverde, Kolodziejczak, Umtiti, A.Youga, Gassama, M.Zéffane, J.Ferri, Källström, Fofana, Gonalons, Grenier, Gourcuff, Bastos, Ederson, Pied, Lacazette, Briand, Lisandro.

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Category: Ligue 1