Auxerre climbed out of the relegation zone after going for seven games without a defeat, but that run will be put to the serious test against title chasers Lyon. Les Gones boosted their Champions League hopes by beating mighty Marseille and they now need to pick up all three points from Stade de l’Abbe Deschamps in order to remain in third place.

Auxerre closing in on survival

Following the surprising third-place finish in the previous Ligue 1 campaign, Auxerre qualified for the Champions League group stages this season, but it is the European campaign that almost ended up costing them Ligue 1 survival. With a very small squad at his disposal, Jean Fernandez largely struggled to keep his side fresh for the league exploits, as a result of which Auxerre spent a big part of the season in the danger zone. The team only started showing some improvement at the beginning of March, but the latest great run of results have seen them climb to four points clear of the bottom three. The hosts are full of confidence following the weekend’s victory over Montpellier, and they will fancy their chances against Lyon, but if les Gones manage to play to their potential, Auxerre will have no saying in the outcome of the game. Jean Fernandez’s side clearly lack the quality to match the best sides in the league, and I doubt their defensive approach will help them stop Lyon from scoring.

Ndinga, Oliech and Grichting returned to contention against Montpellier, but captain Benoit Pedretti remains sidelined.

Timely win for Lyon

Lyon have lost their domestic dominance over the last few years and les Gones have had major problems to even remain in the title race during the last two seasons, but Claude Puel’s side are very motivated to prove the doubters wrong and finish this season on a high. There is no doubt that Lyon have a great team on paper, but les Gones haven’t always played to their potential this season, with poor mental approach costing them dearly in some games. This is why coach Claude Puel was probably delighted to see his side beat Marseille at the weekend, as his side played a great game despite being under tremendous pressure, with the win serving as a major confidence boost before the Auxerre game. Lyon need a win in this match so as to come closer to ensuring Champions League qualification and it appears that les Gones should be able to bring all three points from Auxerre.

Lisandro Lopez misses out through injury, while Pape Diakhate and Kim Kallstrom are suspended. Michel Bastos and Aly Cissokho returns to the side after missing the Marseille game through suspension, while Yoann Gourcuff could also return. Toulalan and Ederson are long-term worries.

Verdict

Auxerre have shown a lot of improvement lately, but it is more than clear that Lyon’s performance will decide the outcome of the match. Les Gones are full of confidence after the win over Marseille and another such performances would surely result in a valuable win.

Our prediction: Away win

Odds: 2.20 (6/5)

Bookmaker: Bet365