French Ligue 1 preview: LOSC Lille VS FC Sochaux
Reigning French Ligue 1 champions LOSC Lille Metropole host FC Sochaux Montbéliard in Week 6 of the 2011/2012 Ligue 1 campaign at the Stade Lille Metropole.
Lille boss Rudi Garcia would be looking to stretch his side’s winning run in the league to five games as he takes on Les Lionceaux de Sochaux.
Frustrations in Europe
Following a 2-2 draw against CSKA Moscow in their opening game of the UEFA Champions League group stages, Rudi Garcia would be looking to see his side return to winning ways.
Rudi Garcia’s side were on course to taking all three points in their first game of the Champions League group stage. However, a late brace from http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/France-c2899.
Midfielder Benoit Pedretti insists that the draw has not dealt a blow to Lille’s morale and has said that the champions will continue their good form in Ligue 1.
“It’s infuriating to lose an equalising goal two minutes from time, but we have to take the positives from the game. It’s all part of the learning curve and now we need to continue to progress in the coming games. Our focus in now firmly on Sochaux,” the
Frenchman said ahead of the game.
With their next Champions League game in two weeks, Lille have three Ligue 1 games to focus on starting with the game against a strong Sochaux side that has been impressive since the beginning of the last season.
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Joe-Cole-c18694 provided a delightful assist to Obraniak. This Tuesday, Lille will play Bordeaux in the Aquitaine region and will then host Lorient at home next
weekend.
With a tough fixture list ahead of them, Lille know that they will have to try and winning against Sochaux if they are to get a head start in the Championnat race.
A European disappointment
Sochaux have to let go of a much bigger European disappointment of their own. Les Lionceaux lost 4-0 to Ukrainian side Metalist Kharkiv in the Europa League play-offs after working so hard in the 2010/2011 Ligue 1 campaign to book a place in Europe.
However, Les Lionceaux have done admirably well despite such a big disappointment. Les Lionceaux have lost just once in the league so far and were denied three points against Lorient last weekend after an 88th minute equaliser.
Coach Mecha Bazdarevic admits that his side needs to cut short their losses. “We can put it down to a lack of experience, a lack of maturity. We had three minutes to hold on – we should have kept hold of the ball. We must improve in that regard, otherwise
we could have a few problems,” the tactician said.
Team News
Lille
After undergoing a surgery on his right knee earlier this month, summer signing http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Dimitri-Payet-c11276 is out for three to four weeks. Marko Basa is a major doubt after the Montenegrin suffered a recurrence of an adductor problem in the 2-2 draw against CSKA Moscow.
Sochaux
Malian international http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Modibo-Maiga-c26167 and Kevin Anin failed to report for training last Sunday and were banished to the reserves which means the duo have not travelled with the rest of the squad to Villeneuve d’Ascq.
However, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Marvin-Martin-c24496 is back after serving up a one game suspension.
Prediction
Lille have lost just six times to Sochaux at home in the 46 league meetings between the two sides. The last time Sochaux beat Lille away from home was in the 2001/02 campaign. With Lille in great form despite failing to register a win in the Champions League,
Sochaux will definitely find it hard to come away with anything from the Stade Metropole.
Predicted final score: Lille 2-0 Sochaux
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