Ligue 1 Previews: Benzema a doubt for Lyon
PARIS - Brief news from the Ligue 1 ahead of this weekend's matches:
Leaders Olympique Lyon could be without several first-choice players when they visit Paris St Germain on Saturday, three days before a crucial game at Fiorentina in the Champions League.
France midfielder Jeremy Toulalan and forward Karim Benzema suffered slight muscle injuries during the midweek friendly against Uruguay.
Italy's left back Fabio Grosso is out after injuring a fibula against Greece while Cameroon midfielder Jean II Makoun only came back to Lyon on Friday after a long trip to South Africa.
"We won't be able to field our best team against PSG," chairman Jean-Michel Aulas told reporters.
Ludovic Giuly is back in form before eighth-placed Paris St Germain host his former club Olympique Lyon.
"I am almost at my best," Giuly told reporters on Thursday.
The 32-year-old player scored his first two goals this season during PSG's last two games in Ligue 1 after being switched from right midfield to attacking forward.
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Midfielder Mathieu Valbuena injured his knee during training and is out for Olympique Marseille's game against Lille on Sunday while winger Karim Ziani and forward Bakary Kone are doubtful.
Ziani underwent a scan on Thursday that showed he is still suffering from a groin injury sustained last weekend. He did not play in Tuesday's Algeria friendly against Mali in France.
Ivory Coast's Kone resumed running this week after recovering from a sprained knee but he could still be rested before a Champions League's visit to Liverpool next week.
Girondins Bordeaux will probably have to make do without captain and first-choice goalkeeper Ulrich Rame when they host Stade Rennes on Saturday.
Rame resumed training after a groin injury but he told reporters he would be "a bit short" for Saturday's game, hinting that he could play against Chelsea in the Champions League on Wednesday.
Third-placed Stade Rennes visit Bordeaux at full-strength after their top scorer Mickael Pagis recovered from flu.
Strugglers St Etienne host Nice with a depleted defence on Saturday. Only three defenders are available to new coach Alain Perrin when he tries to end a six-game losing streak in Ligue 1.
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