Champions Paris Saint-Germain can reclaim the top spot in Ligue 1 on Sunday, but they need to beat current leaders Lyon away from home to do so.

It’s a tough assignment for Laurent Blanc’s men, but they were boosted by a 1-0 win over Lille in midweek that took them into the French League Cup final.

With the Cup behind them and the Champions League clash against Chelsea coming up, the Ligue 1 giants need to focus on improving their league ranking.

“It’s not a final but it could be the turning point of the season”, admitted Blaise Matuidi.

“We’ve got a lot of avenues open to us and we want to do well in all the different competitions.”

With 15 games to go, PSG have little margin for error. The defending champions have yet to hit their stride during a mediocre campaign but maximum points at Gerland would take PSG ahead of their rivals in the table.

The Ligue 1 title race has effectively become a three-way tussle between current leaders Lyon on 49 points with Marseille and PSG hot on their heels on 47.

And PSG have no choice in Lyon, as Thiago Motta explained. “If we lose on Sunday in Lyon, people will talk about a crisis at PSG. Our aim is to win and reclaim the top spot”, said the Italian midfielder.

The pressure is thus on Laurent Blanc and his men. Bernard Lacombe, special advisor to Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas, knows that and cunningly added to their burden.

“PSG will be champions. At one point, the Parisian players are going to rebel. Let’s hope it’ll be as late as possible”, Lacombe told Radio Scoop.

Lyon, who are surprise leaders at this point in the season, are on eight-match unbeaten run, having only dropped points at Monaco.

But, just as they did in the Principality, Lyon will have to do without their number one striker Alexandre Lacazette (21 league goals).

Second place Marseille could also take the reins, should they manage to win their first away game since October at Brittany outfit Rennes, who are winless in five Ligue 1 outings.

Marcelo Bielsa squad was boosted with the arrival of Lucas Ocampos from Monaco this week while their target man Pierre Andre Gignac is on clinical form in front of goal with a league tally of 14.

At the bottom of the table, Metz face a tough battle against Bastia whose confidence has been given a massive boost with their reaching the League Cup final.

Losing League Cup semi-finalists Monaco face Guingamp and will rely on their defence, which has let in just one goal in their last 14 games, to overhaul Saint-Etienne in fourth spot while Les Verts take on Lens on Friday.

Lens, who are just goal difference away from the bottom spot, need points quickly and they know it.

“We hope to get the better of Saint-Etienne”, said Lens manager Antoine Kombouare.

“The way we have played lately shows what we are capable of and it boosts our confidence. We are aware of the difficulties that are ahead of us.

Lille came third in Ligue 1 last season but a goals drought has seen them fall to a lowly 13th place with fans calling for the coach René Girard to resign, and hanging up a banner to that effect at the club’s training facility.

They travel to sixth placed Montpellier Saturday seeking not only in need of goals and points but a boost in morale.