``It's never easy to play the team in last place,'' Juninho said. ``They will try and raise their game against the champions. We should treat this game the same way as if we were preparing to face Real Madrid.''

Sedan has won only one game this season in the French league, while Lyon has lost only once (at Rennes) as it bids to extend its national record to six straight titles.

Lyon, with 34 points from 13 matches, has a 10-point lead over second-placed Lille, which faces a tough trip to improving Sochaux.

``It's fantastic,'' said Juninho, who will return from a one-match suspension. ``We have a 10-point lead. But the best thing is that we are still working the same way. We take each game as it comes. We don't get carried away.''

Three of Lyon's forwards are injured, with Brazil's Fred and teen prospect Karim Benzema out until January and France winger Sidney Govou expected back in December.

That leaves veteran Sylvain Wiltord, the out-of-form John Carew and reserve team striker Hatem Ben Arfa to fill in. Those three have scored only three league goals, and Lyon needed two late strikes by defenders Cris and Sebastien Squillaci to avoid an embarrassing home defeat against struggling Valenciennes last weekend.

Also Saturday, it's Lens vs. Nantes; Monaco vs. Lorient; Nancy vs. Troyes; Paris Saint-Germain vs. Bordeaux; Rennes vs. Le Mans; and Saint-Etienne vs. Nice.

Former Portugal international Pauleta returns for PSG after completing a two-match suspension. He scored a hat-trick last season against his former club Bordeaux.

``It's an important match,'' PSG coach Guy Lacombe said. ``My team has potential but they have to back this up with results. Our results should be a lot better because we play the right way.''

On Sunday, Auxerre faces Toulouse and Marseille looks to snap a five-game losing streak when it plays Valenciennes at home. Another defeat for Marseille could cost coach Albert Emon his job.