Marseille host struggling PSG

After keeping their slim hopes of Champions League glory alive with a 1-0 win at Zurich, fifth-place Marseille will be looking to replicate that form in the French league when it hosts archrival Paris Saint-Germain on Sunday in the most storied contest in the domestic calendar.

Marseille recovered from three straight losses in all competitions with back-to-back wins at Nancy and Zurich. Wednesday night's victory in Switzerland gave Marseille their first three points in the Champions League.

"We had a very complicated week before the international break with those three defeats," Marseille coach Didier Deschamps said.

"A big game is awaiting us."

Derbies between Marseille and PSG are regularly marred by violence off the pitch and special security measures will be in force in and around the Velodrome stadium. The clubs are the only French sides to have lifted European silverware: Marseille won the inaugural Champions League in 1993 and PSG raised the now defunct Uefa Cup Winners' Cup in 1996.

This season, Marseille trails leader Lyon by only three points, PSG already lags well behind in ninth place after three draws and two losses. The Paris club has 13 points from nine games, four points behind Marseille.

"This match at Marseille is a good opportunity to get back on the right track," PSG striker Peguy Luyindula said. "We had a good start to the season, winning matches and scoring a lot of goals.

But sometimes - you don't know why - those good runs end. I still have the feeling we are playing good football."

PSG coach Antoine Kombouare lashed out at his players this week, saying the injuries that have depleted his side were not enough to explain its poor form.

"I don't like this situation," Kombouare said. "I'm expecting more from the likes of Sylvain Armand, Stephane Sessegnon or Ceara and I have told them so. But I'm not disappointed because they are quality players."

At Marseille, PSG will be without injured forwards Ludovic Hoarau and Mevlut Erding, who is recovering from a shoulder injury.

"We miss Hoarau and Erding up front," Kombouare said. "Without blaming anybody, Ludo (Giuly) and Peguy (Luyindula)... have to do more up front - they are paid to make the difference." PSG hasn't won a game since a 3-0 home victory over Lille on Aug. 30. A loss at Marseille could see it move into the relegation zone.

"We're not even considering losing at Marseille," PSG president Robin Leproux told French daily Le Parisien. "We're going there to win. But if we don't get the result we're hoping for, we don't need to panic. There are a lot of games left."

The three French clubs involved in Champions League action this week -Marseille, Lyon and Bordeaux- all won.

League leader Lyon travels to Nice on Saturday after coming from behind to beat Liverpool 2-1 at Anfield. Lyon defender Cris, who was taken to the hospital after colliding with Liverpool's Dirk Kuyt, has recovered and is expected to play.

Defending champion Bordeaux, which overcame a 1-0 deficit and two missed penalties to beat Bayern Munich 2-1, hosts struggling Le Mans. Bordeaux coach Laurent Blanc welcomed playmaker Yoann Gourcuff's return to form in the win over Bayern, which followed losses in the French league at Saint-Etienne and Auxerre.

Gourcuff, who injured his left thigh last month, missed the Saint-Etienne game and came off the bench at Auxerre.

"Gourcuff is the kind of player who make others play better," Blanc said. "He's a technical leader. When you've got him in your squad, it's a guarantee you'll play at a high technical level." Promoted Montpellier, which has surprised many by charging into second place behind Lyon on goal difference, will be at sixth-place Rennes, another side that has impressed with a series of quality performances.

On Saturday, it's also: Boulogne vs. Monaco; Grenoble vs. Nancy; Saint-Etienne vs. Valenciennes and Sochaux vs. Lorient.

In Sunday's other matches, Lens hosts Toulouse and Lille is away to Auxerre.