Montpellier will be looking to close the gap still further on Ligue 1 leaders Bordeaux when they travel to Boulogne on Saturday.
Montpellier will be looking to close the gap still further on Ligue 1 leaders Bordeaux when they travel to Boulogne on Saturday.
Boulogne might be sitting precariously second from bottom of the standings but they held champions Bordeaux to a goalless draw last weekend, allowing Montpellier to narrow the gap to Les Girondins to six points thanks to victory over Marseille.
And Montpellier striker Karim Ait-Fana knows they will be in for a tricky test at the Stade de la Liberation.
"Boulogne come off the back of a draw with Bordeaux," he told the official club website.
"They are a team who are poorly placed in the standings and who don't have much choice any more. They will want to win at any price against us. It won't be an easy match.
"It's up to us to prepare well this week to pick up victory there.
"We will have to forget the match against OM and focus ourselves on this trip to Boulogne."
Boulogne themselves will be in desperate need of the three points which will take them to within a point of St Etienne, who host fifth-placed Monaco on Sunday.
Bordeaux will be hoping to kick-start their year when they travel to Rennes on the Saturday.
Les Girondins have started 2010 somewhat sluggishly and picked up two draws and a win in the league, while they had to rely on a huge slice of luck to see off Ligue 2 side Sedan after a poor performance in the Coupe de la Ligue in midweek.
Lille are only two points behind Montpellier and will be looking to take advantage of any slip-ups from the top two when they travel to Nice.
Hot on their heels are Lyon, Monaco and Auxerre - all three of whom have 39 points.
Auxerre travel to rock-bottom Grenoble on Saturday while a day later Lyon visit Toulouse, who will have to get over their cup heartbreak quickly, having lost the Coupe de la Ligue semi-final clash with Marseille on Wednesday night.
Marseille coach Didier Deschamps has also urged his players to put the cup firmly to the backs of their minds as they turn their attentions to Sunday's visit of Valenciennes.
OM have been woeful in the league this season and are currently seventh, 12 points behind Bordeaux, albeit with a game in hand.
Elsewhere, Le Mans will be hoping for a vital three points in their relegation battle at Lens, while Paris St Germain travel to Lorient and Sochaux welcome Nancy.
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