Paris St Germain captain Sylvain Armand is confident the club can recover from their disappointing start to the campaign and avoid a repeat of last season's "hell" in Ligue 1.
The capital club have lost three of their last four games and find themselves just two points above the relegation zone after 12 matches played.
The start brings back memories of last term, when Paul Le Guen's men only just avoided relegation after a dreadful first half of the season.
Armand, dropped by Le Guen for the last couple of matches, admits it is a "delicate situation" but is not too concerned just yet.
"I don't think anyone expected this," said the left-back.
"We all had the intention of doing something big this season and, moreover, we had some encouraging results in friendly matches. Unfortunately we aren't managing to win at the Parc des Princes. And if you don't win, doubts creep in, you miss out on points and you get in this situation. But there is a calmness that we didn't have last year, when we had to handle tricky situations and conflicts. Today, the atmosphere is more calm and everyone knows what we have to do. Last season was such hell that we don't want to relive that again. Our situation is still delicate. So we will have to grit our teeth if we are going to get out of it. We must pick up some points because we are not far from 10th. The season is well under way but we are not imagining the club completely sinking," he added in French daily L'Equipe.
PSG are yet to win at home this season, having drawn three and lost four of their seven matches at the Parc so far.
Their latest defeat came at the hands of champions Lyon 3-2 on Sunday, but they have the chance to make immediate amends when they play Ligue 2 side Montpellier at home in the last 16 of the Coupe de la Ligue on Wednesday.
04 October 2007
France Coach Raymond Domenech has left Patrick Vieira out of his squad for October's Euro 2008 qualifiers and continues to snub David Trezeguet.
Les Bleus are under pressure after losing to Scotland in September, but they are expected to claim six comfortable points when they face the Faroe Islands and Lithuania.
Vieira is struggling with fitness after being selected for the matches against Italy and Scotland last month and is yet to feature for Inter this term.
'It seems wiser to let Vieira rest and get himself back into shape,' Domenech explained. 'For the last games he wanted to be there at all costs, but this time he seemed less determined.'
Surprisingly, Domenech has left the free-scoring Trezeguet out of his 23-man squad in a decision that is likely to be linked to the pair's tempestuous relationship.
'It pays to have competition,' the ex-Monaco tactician insisted. 'There are lots of strikers and so I have to make my choice.'
France squad: Goalkeepers: Frey (Fiorentina), Landreau (PSG), Rame (Bordeaux)
Strikers: Anelka (Bolton), Benzema (Lyon), Govou (lyon), Henry (Barcelona), Saha (Manchester United)
01 October 2007
Lyon coach Alain Perrin has played down any suggestion that Rangers are underdogs in Group E of the Champions League.
European heavyweights Barcelona are perhaps the most star-studded side in the pool while Lyon and Stuttgart are respectively champions of France and Germany.
The Scots started off their campaign with victory over Stuttgart and Perrin has short shrift for any suggestion that Rangers are the makeweights in the group.
Perrin said: "This is the Champions League which is a competition with a special atmosphere where every team gives its best. There is very little difference between any of the teams and Glasgow (Rangers) deserve to be there. What is important is that we are capable of producing our own game and if we manage to do that we will make things easier for ourselves. We will play with rhythm and enthusiasm and it won't be an easy task against a team that closes up well."
Perrin pointed out that Scotland had done the double in Euro 2008 qualifying against France, saying: "I was in Paris for the match between France and Scotland and tomorrow's match will be like that, except the result."
Perrin claimed he had not sought the advice of former Rangers boss Paul Le Guen who had an unsuccessful stint in charge of the Glaswegians last season but is now at Paris Saint-Germain.
Asked if he had contacted Le Guen, the former Troyes, Marseille, Portsmouth and Sochaux boss said: "No. We have videos and we have sufficient information to show the players and prepare them for the game."
Lyon had a poor start to qualifying with a 3-0 beating by Barcelona at the Nou Camp.
Perrin said: "When you have six matches to play you have to seize every opportunity. The match has a strategic importance both in terms of points as well as tactics. It will not be easy to take the points at home against a Glasgow team that defends very well. So it's not a game of double or quits."
