the French league is a mad mad world.

One would have go( long odds al (he beginning of (he season (hat Lille would be going into (he league match al home io Marseille with them on top and the 1993 European Cup winners battling against relegation.

But (hat is exactly the situation as the unglamorous newly promoted side, who lead Nantes on goal difference, from the north take on the bigspending but faction riven giants from the south -who are fifth from bottom five points above the drop - on Saturday.

I ille, who won the last of their Iwo titles in 1954. have built their season round the meanest defence in the league and have conceded just in goaL in theit 27 I ague matches and have hail to light oil bids horn Premiership clubs for righlback Pascal Cygan.

While Lille, coached by former Yugoslav international Vahid Halilhodzic. will be missing striker Djezon Boutoille on Saturday ii is Marseille who will be praying that former world footballer ol the year George Weah makes it.

Their strike force has been goalshy all season and while 34-year-oid Weah has scored just four times since he arrived after a mis-crable spell al Manchester City he has Hun extra bit of class and vision lacking throughout the team.

However. Weah. who created the goal that brought them victory against PSG in their relegation sixpointer a fortnight ago. has returned from Liberia's 1-0 World Cup qualifier win over Sierra Leone Iasi weekend in an exhausted state.

"I hope to al least plav one half of the match." he said.

His presence will be all that more important il Yugoslav plav-maker Jovan Stankovic, who has added much needed class to mid field since he left Real Mallorca in the winter break, fails to recover from pulled thigh muscle.

Elsewhere Lyon take on Bordeaux on Saturday with the hosts minds still on a potential domestic treble and a faint dream of qualifying for the Champions League quarter-finals while their visitors have just the title to concentrate on.

A win for Lyon and losses for Ulle. Nantes and Sedan would take them to within a point of (he top two while Bordeaux, whose rampant Portuguese forward Pauleta will be licking his lips with Brazilian defender Edmilson departed for international friendly duty, could also go top if they win and the other three lose.

Confused? That's French football this season for you.

FIXTURES

Saturday: Lyon v Bordeaux. I ille v Marseille. Sedan v Ums. Baslia v Troyes. Paris SG v Toulouse. Auxerre v Monaco. Strasbourg v Gu- J ingamp, Metz vSt-Etienne

Sunday: Rennes v Nantes