Lille boss hints at resting Hazard and Sow

Lille coach Rudi Garcia has hinted he could rest top striker Moussa Sow and influential midfielder Eden Hazard when the Ligue 1 champions take on Lorient on Saturday.

"Some players have been feeling muscle pains and he [Sow] is one of them," Garcia told reporters, adding that he had been trying to give Hazard a breather towards the end of games.

Lille, who could still be without injured centre-back Aurelien Chedjou, are sixth in the standings with 12 points from seven games.

League leaders Montpellier may not finish the season as champions but they are happy to have earned the respect of their rivals after an impressive start in Ligue 1.

"We have not won anything, let's not forget this," coach Rene Girard told sports daily L'Equipe on Friday. "But we're just becoming a team that is respected. Some doubted this, I did not."

Montpellier, who host Paris Saint-Germain on Saturday, lead the table on 16 points.

Paris Saint-Germain striker Mevlut Erding has extended his contract by one year, L'Equipe reported.

The Turkey striker is now contracted to the club until 2014.

Striker Andre-Pierre Gignac and midfielder Benoit Cheyrou have been ruled out of Olympique Marseille's trip to Valenciennes on Saturday due to injury.

Gignac has been suffering from abdominal pain while Cheyrou has a groin injury.

Marseille are 15th in the standings after winning their first game of the season earlier this week.

Swedish midfielder Kim Kallstrom is likely to return from an ankle injury when Olympique Lyon take on Girondins Bordeaux on Saturday.

Lyon, however, will have to make do without France keeper Hugo Lloris, who was sent off in his team's 1-0 defeat at Caen earlier this week.