Marseille will need to claim the scalp of France's in-form team this weekend if they are to maintain a genuine interest in the Ligue 1 title race.

OM take on second-placed Bordeaux at the Stade Velodrome on Sunday, eager to bounce back from their surprise 1-0 defeat to Sochaux last weekend.

That result left them five points off leaders Lyon and four points behind Bordeaux, and a defeat this weekend could spell the end of their title hopes for another season.

Bordeaux have not lost in the league since their defeat to Lyon in mid-November and will head into the match having qualified for the Coupe de la Ligue final with a 3-0 win at Paris St Germain.

Marseille defender Laurent Bonnart is not underestimating the importance of Sunday's match.

"It is huge, like a cup final, in that they are direct rivals for a Champions League place," said the full-back.

"Bordeaux are the best team around at the moment and we are going to have to raise our level and be at 110% or 120% to get anything from them.

"With a win, we will move to within a point of them. But if we lose, it will be completely different in terms of both our points tally and our morale.

"If we want to do something in this championship, we have to win."

That match is the late game on Sunday - a few hours earlier, Lyon will get a chance to extend their lead at the top when they take on Nice at the Stade du Ray.

Les Gones drew 1-1 against St Etienne last week but look to be back to something close to their best, while Nice will want to make up for their surprise Coupe de la Ligue semi-final defeat to Vannes OC last night.

Sunday's other game sees Grenoble host second-bottom Valenciennes, who are unbeaten in four matches.

The rest of this weekend's fixtures will take place on Saturday.

The highlight will be title-chasing PSG's visit to Nantes, whose good recent run has lifted them into mid-table.

PSG may have lost to Bordeaux in the cup but their confidence will still be high - they are third in the table and moved to within four points of Lyon with last weekend's 2-0 victory over Caen.

Elsewhere, fifth-placed Rennes, who are level on points with OM, travel to bottom club Rennes, and sixth-placed Toulouse - a point behind Rennes - entertain Le Mans.

Lorient host Monaco in a mid-table battle, Nancy welcome Auxerre, Caen go to St Etienne while seventh-placed Lille, who have 36 points and a game in hand over the teams above them, play Sochaux at the Stade Metropole.