The Groupama Stadium plays host to a Ligue 1 relegation battle on Sunday lunchtime, as 18th-placed Lyon take on 16th-placed Metz.

While the hosts' most recent clash with Marseille was postponed amid disgraceful scenes outside the stadium, Les Grenats played out a low-key 0-0 draw with Le Havre last time out.

Match preview

While Lyon have already been subjected to plenty of on-field batterings this term and could have suffered the same treatment against Choc des Olympiques rivals Marseille, newly-appointed head coach Fabio Grosso would not have expected to require hospital treatment after his team's bus came under siege outside the ground.

As stones were pelted at the vehicle, images soon circulated of a concussed and bloodied Grosso, and the authorities took the decision to abandon the derby, despite Lyon owner John Textor's affirmations that his side were keen to go ahead with their game last Sunday.

As such, Grosso's players have had a fortnight to reflect on their most recent top-flight embarrassment, which saw Les Gones go down 2-1 at home to Clermont to remain without a win in nine games this season - an unwanted record which no other team in the division bears.

With a meagre three points next to their name, the seven-time Ligue 1 champions remain rooted to the foot of the division - with a joint-low seven goals to show for their efforts - and they cannot rise out of the two-team demotion zone no matter what transpires this weekend.

Lyon can take some comfort from the fact that two of their three points in the 2023-24 Ligue 1 season have come at the Groupama Stadium, but 13 goals shipped represents the league's worst home defensive record - only Rennes (10) have also conceded in the double figures on their own patch.

Prior to the shocking Lyon bus attack, Metz and Le Havre squared off in a battle of the newly-promoted sides at the Stade Saint-Symphorien last weekend, but the 20,000-strong crowd could have certainly picked a more exciting affair to attend.

Les Grenats only had 41% of the ball on the evening, but Le Havre could not make their territorial advantage count as the tie ended without the net rippling once; a result which would have been welcomed by Metz boss Laszlo Boloni in the wake of his side's dampening sequence.

By holding Le Havre to a goalless stalemate, Les Grenats ended a four-game run without a win in the French top flight to remain in 16th place, but given the extremely tight nature of the table, only three points separates Boloni's team from Rennes in eighth spot.

Metz's goalscoring woes are yet to be addressed, though, as the low-key draw with Le Havre marked the visitors' fourth game without a goal in their last five Ligue 1 contests, although their only two top-flight wins so far in 2023-24 have been 1-0 beatings of Lens and Clermont away from home.

Before dropping down to the doldrums of Ligue 2, Metz impressively picked up two wins and a draw from three meetings with Lyon between January 2021 and May 2022, but when the sides reunited in January for a Coupe de France third-round tie, Les Gones ran out 2-1 victors.

Team News

After being booked for the third time this season in the showdown with Clermont, Corentin Tolisso was due to serve a one-match suspension in the Choc des Olympiques, but his ban will now carry over to Sunday's game instead.

There are no reported injuries in the Lyon ranks when it comes to playing personnel, although Grosso himself may need assessing after being busted open in the despicable attack outside the Orange Velodrome; the derby has now been rescheduled for December 6.

However, Duje Caleta-Car, Ainsley Maitland-Niles and former boy wonder Rayan Cherki were left out of the Lyon squad to face Marseille after Grosso brutally claimed that the latter - who was withdrawn at half time against Clermont - is not a "special" player.

Left-back Nicolas Tagliafico was absent from the clash with Les Lanciers after watching Argentina in Rugby World Cup action, but the ex-Ajax man should be reinstated to the team here.

As for Metz, midfielder Lamine Camara - who made headlines when he scored from inside his own half against Monaco a couple of weeks ago - was an enforced withdrawal in the 70th minute of his side's clash with Le Havre, but the 19-year-old should be fit for this one.

However, Oscar Estupinan (hamstring), Aboubacar Lo (unspecified), Kevin N'Doram (calf) and Habib Maiga (calf) are in the care of the doctors, and it remains to be seen whether any member of the quartet will return before the international break.

Lyon possible starting lineup:
Lopes; Mata, Diomande, Lovren, Tagliafico; Caqueret, Akouokou, Diawara; Balde, Lacazette, Jeffinho

Metz possible starting lineup:
Oukidja; Colin, Traore, Herelle, Udol; Camara, Nduquidi; Van Den Kerkhof, Asoro, Jallow; Tetteh

We say: Lyon 1-0 Metz

Defences should not be breached at will when these two shot-shy sides go head-to-head at the Groupama Stadium, as Metz cannot rely on long-range Camara screamers forever.

A fortnight's break could either be a help or a hindrance for Lyon, but with Alexandre Lacazette always capable of conjuring up some magic, we have faith in Grosso's side to belatedly get off the mark at the 10th attempt.


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