Ligue 1 preview: Paris to tackle Saint-Etienne demons

PSG will look to reverse their woeful record at Saint-Etienne when they meet in Ligue 1 on Wednesday.

The match pits the Parisian side – who sit second – against the fifth-placed Saint-Etienne and an exciting clash is on the cards at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard.

PSG spent over 65 million pounds in the off-season and although Antoine Kombouare’s side are only goal difference behind league leaders Montpellier, they have not been as impressive as they would have liked.

Pressure has been on Kombouare right throughout the season and he will not have it easy on Wednesday at a ground PSG have struggled at in the past.

Of their nine visits to Saint-Etienne, the two-time league champions have won just once, with four draws and four losses signalling a miserable record.

Their only win came in December 2007 when Peguy Luyindula – who now plays for the club’s reserves – scored the only goal of the match.

PSG have won two of their last three in Ligue 1 but Saint-Etienne, who are on a good run themselves, have not tasted defeat in seven matches.

Ivorian Max Gradel and French forward Florent Sinama Pongolle have been in good form the high-flyers in recent times and the pair are likely to cause PSG problems.

In Tuesday’s sole match, the slowly improving Marseille are on the road to Nancy, with the former looking to extend their unbeaten streak to five.

Other fixtures on Wednesday see Montpellier travel to mid-table Evian TG, while third-placed Lille host Nice and Lyon, who sit fourth, are away at relegation-threatened Valenciennes.

Toulouse play host to Brest, bottom side Ajaccio travel to fellow strugglers Sochaux and Rennes will look to win their first in four, when they entertain Bordeaux.

Lorient and Caen face each other in a battle of two mid-table sides and Dijon travel to Auxerre.