Leonardo Jardim doesn't see any slips from Ligue 1 title rivals Paris St Germain

Posted Sunday, April 23, 2017 by PA

Leonardo Jardim is not expecting any favours from Paris St Germain in the Ligue 1 title race.

Monaco go to Lyon on Sunday leading the reigning four-time champions on goal difference alone, though they have six games remaining to PSG's five.

Jardim told the club's official website: "The players have shown what they are capable of and it is because of them that Monaco can dream this season.

"Paris, with their schedule, can focus entirely on Ligue 1. I don't think they will drop any points between now and the end of the season."

On Sunday's match, he added: "Lyon are a team who have shown their strength in Europe, even if in the league it is not going so well."

Opposite number Bruno Genesio believes the midweek European schedule gives Monaco a significant advantage in the match.

Monaco were at home to Borussia Dortmund in Wednesday's Champions League quarter-final second leg while Lyon had to travel back from Turkey after battling past Besiktas on penalties on Thursday.

Genesio said: "We will make changes, it is sensible. It will be very difficult to play again on Sunday because of the fatigue and the travelling, we only got back to Lyon at seven o'clock on Friday morning.

"Monaco have had an extra day to recover and they played at home.

"It will be a very, very difficult match. They are one of the two best teams in the league alongside Paris and have great attacking ability. But we will do all we can to cause them problems."

Jardim, though, played down the effect of the schedule.

"I don't think we have a physical advantage," he said. "Fatigue is caused by an accumulation of matches, not by the time between matches. We play always with the strongest team, those in the greatest form to allow us to win."

Full-back Djibril Sidibe is again absent having missed the Champions League second leg against Borussia Dortmund due to appendicitis. Guido Carrillo, like Sidibe, worked separately from the main group on Friday but Gabriel Boschilia trained as normal. Pierre Nguinda is recovering after a knee operation.

For Lyon, star striker Alexandre Lacazette misses out with a hamstring problem.