The fiery derby between Lyon and Saint-Etienne, respectively 4th and 5th in the standings, launches Friday the 14th day of Ligue 1 and will allow its eventual winner to climb at least temporarily on the podium.

The Lyonnais, 4th with 24 points, one point behind Montpellier, start with the derby a formidable sequence that will see Manchester City receive them Tuesday in the Champions League then move to Lille, the current runner-up PSG in the league, Saturday, December 1.

Capable this season of the best (victory in Manchester City on September 19) and the worst (having allowed two goals to go by 11 to 10 against Hoffenheim on November 7), the men of Bruno Genesio have the opportunity with these three matches to assert themselves against the underdogs of L1, and could even qualify for the round of 16 C1 if successful on Tuesday.

+ Ligue 1. Heavy fine for the Stade Rennais after the derby incidents against Nantes

Podium revived?

The Greens, 5th with 23 points, remain on two successive successes in L1 before the international break against Angers (4-3) and Reims (2-0). They move to Groupama Stadium without their supporters, denied access by a prefectural order following a sanction from the LFP, and without their defender and captain Loïc Perrin, hamstring.

Paris receives Toulouse on Saturday afternoon for a 14th victory in as many L1 days, but is particularly worried about the health of its two offensive stars Neymar and Kylian Mbappé, touched with their national selections, before a decisive shock in Champions League Wednesday against Liverpool.

Monaco will try to stem its sports crisis in Caen Saturday evening, while the club is also in the middle of an institutional crisis, between a survey of the League (LFP) on the conditions of recruitment of minor players following the revelations of Football Leaks and the in review of its Russian President Dmitry Rybolovlev for "bribery" and "trading in influence".

+ Ligue 1. French clubs welcome Didier Drogba's career

Program of the 14th day:

Friday: (8:45 pm) Lyon - Saint-Etienne

Saturday: (5 pm) Paris SG - Toulouse (8 pm) Caen - Monaco Dijon - Bordeaux Nantes - Angers Reims - Guingamp Strasbourg - Nîmes

Sunday: (3 pm) Montpellier - Rennes (5 pm) Nice - Lille (9 pm) Amiens - Marseille