Paris (AFP)

Lille and Lyon, in pursuit of the Paris SG leader, move to Rennes and Saint-Etienne respectively on Sunday, while Marseille, in Monaco on Saturday, count on their rookie Arkadiusz Milik to recover from a complicated pass, during the 21st Ligue 1 day.

- the derby: Saint-Etienne - Lyon -

Perhaps the longest 62 kilometers of the season.

In Saint-Etienne (9:00 p.m.), OL play doubly big: both their honor, against the rival club, and the first place, which they lost last weekend.

Surprised by Metz (1-0) on Sunday, Rudi Garcia's men must get up quickly so as not to let PSG and Lille, two points ahead, take off.

"We must return to victory on Sunday," admitted the Lyon coach.

For the 122nd derby in history, Lyon is a big favorite against the Greens who have won only one of their last 17 meetings.

In addition, the Stéphanois will have to do without at least six players positive for Covid-19.

- the player: Arkadiusz Milik -

Polish international Arkadiusz Milik arrived in Marseille on Thursday, accompanied by an aura that makes fans hope for the end of the disappointments linked to the scorer's post, lying fallow after the Mitroglou and Benedetto failures.

If the player, loaned by Napoli for 18 months with option to buy, said he was "ready for this new adventure", he lacks pace, due to a conflict with the Italian club which put him in the closet this summer.

However, OM no longer has time.

In the storm after two consecutive defeats at home, the players of André Villas-Boas must react in Monaco (21:00) to stay in contact with the podium.

In a direct competitor, who won his three matches in 2021, Milik could play his first minutes in his new jersey.

Great beginnings for the "grantatakan"?

- the number: 42 -

With 42 points in 20 days, Lille has its best accounting record since the 1949-50 season.

That year, the northern club had finished second behind Bordeaux.

Today, its competitors are called Paris and Lyon, in a top of the table that promises to stay tight until the end.

In Rennes (5:00 p.m.), the Mastiffs have a difficult trip to manage, with a team undefeated for more than a month.

For their part, the Bretons, who have had a difficult autumn, hope to titillate the podium again.

Program for the 21st day of Ligue 1

Friday

(9:00 p.m.) Paris SG - Montpellier

Saturday

(5:00 p.m.) Lens - Nice

(9:00 p.m.) Monaco - Marseille

Sunday

(13h00) Bordeaux - Angers

(3:00 p.m.) Dijon - Strasbourg

Metz - Nantes

Reims - Brest

(5:00 p.m.) Rennes - Lille

(9:00 p.m.) Saint-Etienne - Lyon

Postponed

Nîmes - Lorient

© 2021 AFP