PSG ‘target’ more records
Lyon seek cheer
PARIS, Dec 18, (AFP): Paris SaintGermain have more records in sight as they play their final game of 2015 at Caen in Ligue 1 on Saturday evening.
Laurent Blanc’s side can set a new mark for the most points halfway through a French season by winning in Normandy, while avoiding defeat will be enough for them to set a new record for the longest unbeaten run in the club’s top-flight history.
PSG are an enormous 17 points clear of nearest challengers Angers and a win at the Stade Micheld’Ornano will take them into Christmas on 51 points, one more than the previous best tally at this stage set by Lyon in their pomp nine years ago.
The capital club’s 5-1 win at home to a struggling Lyon side last weekend allowed them to extend their unbeaten record in the league to 27 games since March as they matched their previous best sequence set back in 1993-94.
They have not lost a domestic game at all this season, although they did struggle to break down a young Saint-Etienne team in the League Cup in midweek before Edinson Cavani struck late on to clinch a 1-0 win. The task facing Caen is a huge one, even if the Normandy side are enjoying an excellent campaign themselves and are certain to end the calendar year in the top four.
“Paris are one of the best sides in Europe. We will need to be at 200 percent to stand a chance of getting a result,” said the Caen left-back Chaker Alhadhur.
Angers, who have gone five games unbeaten, are in action on Sunday at Saint-Etienne, a side struggling for form but still in touch with the European places.
And, after seven losses in their last 11 league outings, Les Verts coach Christophe Galtier was encouraged by the performance of a team containing six players aged 21 or under at kick-off against PSG on Wednesday.
“For the youngsters, such a match is worth 20 or 25 games for the reserves. They acquired a lot of experience,” said Galtier.
Third-place Monaco, eliminated from the League Cup this week, end a turbulent 2015 at Troyes, the bottom club still looking for a first win of the season.
Nice, in fifth, entertain Montpellier in the Friday night game as they seek a first win in six matches, while Lyon face Gazelec Ajaccio in Corsica in what could prove to be OL coach Hubert Fournier’s final match in charge, regardless of the result.
Lyon have collected a solitary point from their last five outings, jeopardising their chances of returning to the Champions League next season just as they prepare to move into a new 59,000-seat stadium in January. Gazelec have themselves turned their fortunes around in spectacular fashion after a disastrous start to life in the top flight and the unglamorous surroundings of the Stade Ange-Casanova will not be an easy place for Lyon to get back to winning ways.
“There is no problem in terms of desire, but many of the players have lost confidence,” admitted Fournier after a narrow 2-1 win against second-tier Tours in the League Cup on Wednesday in the last ever game at the old Stade de Gerland.
“It is time the year came to an end, although we have one last push to come in Ajaccio.”
Among the other fixtures is a Brittany derby between Guingamp, who are in the relegation zone, and a Rennes side with just one win in their last 13 league games.
Marseille will look to end a difficult year on a high note when they visit Bordeaux on Sunday night in the last match before France takes a twoweek winter break over the festive period.
Blanc