Ligue 1 round 14

Lille v Valenciennes
Sochaux v Nice
Lorient v Grenoble
PSG v Auxerre
Toulouse v Boulogne
Lens v Marseille
Nancy v Bordeaux
Le Mans v St Etienne
Lyon v Rennes
Monaco P-P Montpellier

Boulogne v PSG

The FFF are a cack-handed bunch. Faced with the postponement of the Marseille v PSG match, the way they're going about getting everyone back on track is perhaps the least logical possible. Surely, you'd just pick a week without cup or European complications and tell them to play it again on a Tuesday or Wednesday night. No, no, no. Too simple. Better to replay that game on a weekend, further postponing two other games and then replay those two in random midweeks. Hence, Boulogne v PSG and Sochaux v Marseille were both scheduled for next Tuesday, December 2 before the latter was further postponed in order that Marseille can be "in the best condition before their decisive [Champions League] game against Real Madrid". Oh for the love of all that's precious...

More postponement news and it's swine flu again that's caused Monaco v Montpellier to be called off this week. It's the Montpellier camp that's been struck and, with three players infected, the camp has been quarantined. What wacky method can the Federation come up with to sort this one out, I wonder?

New leaders Auxerre attempt to maintain their new-found lofty position without Ireneusz Jelen who suffered a thigh injury in training. He should only miss this week's trip to Paris and if AJA are to mount a serious challenge, they'll be hoping that is the case. Bordeaux and Lyon won't take this lying down and will pounce on any slip-ups. Bordeaux had a great win in the Champions League in midweek while Lyon went down to Fiorentina. The champions are in Nancy this week while Lyon face Rennes at the Gerland. Marseille face Lens, but are fuming about being ordered to play one game behind closed doors following yet another flare incident. The Federation's ruling says that this being the seventh time the club have been in bother for similar, it was the only recourse. And this is before the events surrounding that postponement against PSG is investigated.

Le Mans v St Etienne is a crunch clash at the bottom which Les Verts will not only fancy winning, but probably feel they must. Toulouse are pushing upwards and face Boulogne who have a tough week with those two matches - the last thing a side in freefall really needs. Grenoble are on a roll - two draws from their last two games - but will struggle to get a first win, on the road in Lorient, Sochaux host Nice and Lille have a visit from Valenciennes.