Paris Saint-Germain can move back to the top of the table when they return to Ligue 1 action against Lille this weekend, having been knocked out of the Champions League earlier this week.
Lille still have an outside chance of qualifying for the Europa League, so they will be looking to make things difficult for the French champions when they go head to head on Saturday.
Paris Saint-Germain
© Getty Images
With defeat to Barcelona at Camp Nou ending Paris Saint-Germain's hopes of success in Europe this season, Laurent Blanc can turn his attention to retaining the league title, with six matches still to play.
PSG, who have won their last three league matches, are level on points with league leaders Lyon, but have a game in hand over their title rivals.
The French champions have been in strong goal-scoring form in recent weeks, scoring three goals in each of their last three matches, including their 3-1 win over Nice last time out.
Blanc's side are unbeaten at Parc des Princes in the league this season, winning 11 of their 15 matches at home, and being held to draws in just four, leaving them as the only side not to have lost at home in Ligue 1 this season.
PSG have one of the best attacks in France's top flight this season, netting 61 times so far, just three behind Lyon and one behind Marseille, who have both played a match more.
Letting in goals has been something of a problem for the champions though, as they have kept just 11 clean sheets so far, with their last coming in a goalless draw with AS Monaco at the start of March.
Recent form: DWLWWW
Recent form (all competitions) WWWLWL
Lille
© Getty Images
Lille come into this match as the in-form side in Ligue 1, with more points from their last six outings, which have included five wins, than any other side in the division.
The run leaves Rene Girard's side eighth in the table ahead of their trip to Parc des Princes, just seven points off a spot in the top four with five matches still to play this season.
Lille claimed their third straight win in the league last time out with a 2-0 victory over Bordeaux, who are also above them in the current standings.
The team's lofty standing in the table is largely down to their home form though, as 10 of their 14 wins in the league this season have come at Stade Pierre-Mauroy, while nine of their 16 matches away from home have resulted in defeats.
Lille's recent charge up the table coincides with Divock Origi and Nolan Roux both finding their form in front of goal, with the duo scoring seven goals between them in the club's last six outings.
The visitors also have one of the strongest defences in the league, keeping 14 clean sheets so far, three more than this weekend's opponents and the same number as table-topping Lyon, while conceding just 27 goals.
Recent form: WWLWWW
Team News
© Getty Images
PSG will still be without top scorer Zlatan Ibrahimovic as he serves the second of a reduced three-match suspension for an outburst at a referee following the team's defeat to Bordeaux last month.
Marco Verratti also begins his two-match suspension, having picked up a 10th booking, while Thiago Motta and Thiago Silva are both doubts with hamstring injuries that kept them out of the team's last two matches.
David Rozehnal could make his return for the visitors after returning to training this week, while Jonathan Delaplace is also nearing a return, although this match may come too soon.
Rio Mavuba will miss out though, as his yellow card against Bordeaux last weekend leaves him suspended.
PSG possible starting lineup:
Sirigu, Van der Wiel, Marquinhos, Aurier, Maxwell, Matuidi, Cabaye, Rabiot, Cavani, Patore, Lavezzi
Lille possible starting lineup:
Enyeama, Corchia, Kjaer, Sidibe, Basa, Balmont, Gueye, Lopes, Mavuba, Origi, Roux
Head To Head
In the reverse fixture earlier in the season, PSG were held to a 1-1 draw by this weekend's opponents, although they did knock Lille out of the Coupe de la Ligue a few weeks later.
Blanc's men are unbeaten in their last six meetings with Lille, securing wins in four of those fixtures, with their last defeat coming back in 2012.
The 38 previous meetings between the two clubs have been well-balanced though, with PSG winning 14, Lille claiming 11 and 13 ending in a stalemate.
It has often been a heated fixture in recent years, with three of the last nine matches seeing a red card.
We say: Paris Saint-Germain 2-1 Lille
Paris Saint-Germain know that retaining their league title has to be their priority for the rest of the season now that they are out of Europe, and they will be keen to put the disappointment of their Champions League exit behind them. Even without top-scorer Ibrahimovic, PSG should have enough to maintain their unbeaten home record.
No Data Analysis info
