Saint-Etienne is back in the spotlight after its surprisingly good start to the season and - for once - will travel to its archrival Lyon as the favorite.
Ahead of their 100th league derby clash on Saturday, Saint-Etienne sits on top of the French league standings for the first time since 1982.
Since losing at Paris Saint-Germain on the opening day of the season, Christophe Galtier's team has claimed 13 points from a possible 15, and leads the standings thanks to a better attacking record than second-placed Toulouse, while Lyon is languishing in 17th with only one win in six matches.
Saint-Etienne and Lyon are separated by only 60 kilometers (37 miles) and their rivalry is one of the fiercest in French football.
Saint-Etienne won a record 10 league titles before falling into mediocrity in the 1980s in the aftermath of a financial scandal while Lyon gradually climbed to the top and dominated French football over the last decade.
The last time Saint-Etienne supporters saw their club on top of the standings was on Feb. 20, 1982 after the team, then-led by France great Michel Platini, won 1-0 at Lyon.
Saint-Etienne, which also reached the European Cup final in 1976, is bidding for its first win against its fierce rival in 16 years.
"For once, we are going there as favorites," Saint-Etienne president Roland Romeyer said. "I can see that the fans are happy. In the streets, people only speak about this."
With the help of winger Dimitri Payet - the league's top scorer with six goals - Saint-Etienne is playing efficient attacking football that helped the team rout Montpellier's defense last weekend in a 3-0 win. Montpellier had conceded only two goals in its previous five games.
"I've never seen myself as a goalscorer, but rather as someone who sets goals up," said Payet, who had never scored more than four goals in any one season before.
"We're savoring our success. I'm here to work just like everyone else. Our frame of mind has changed: We roll up our sleeves and get stuck in when things get tough."
Payet didn't play in Wednesday's 2-0 League Cup win over Nice and is doubtful for Saturday's derby because of injury.
Saint-Etienne struggled over the past two seasons, with the team twice finishing one place above relegation. That makes Galtier wary that his players can compete at this level for the whole campaign.
"We have 13 points now, it's a good start," Galtier said. "It's going fine for us, we're enjoying it. But we'll stay realistic and humble."
Striker Bakary Sako said the team started to improve after Galtier replaced former coach Alain Perrin last December.
"Now we are just continuing the work we started last season," Sako told L'Equipe newspaper. "Since he took over, he has really tried to forge a new team spirit. He really stressed how much we needed to work together if we were to stay up last season. We owe this success to the coaching staff."
Sako also praised the club's clever moves in the transfer market, with the signings of experienced players like U.S. captain Carlos Bocanegra.
"These guys have seen a lot and are really helping us to progress," Sako said.
The mood is far different in Lyon after Claude Puel's team was handed its third loss at Bordeaux, a result that capped the club's worst start to the season in 15 years.
Puel hasn't won anything since he took over three seasons ago, and has been given the dreaded vote of confidence by Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas.
"Any coach who doesn't have success at Lyon is threatened," said Aulas. "Five points in six matches is obviously not enough. That doesn't justify the heavy investment that has been made in the last two years."
To add to Lyon's woes, striker Lisandro Lopez is out for several weeks after hurting his right thigh at Bordeaux.
Lisandro will miss the derby against Saint-Etienne and should miss the club's Champions League match at Hapoel Tel Aviv next week.
On Saturday, it's also: Auxerre vs. Nancy; Caen vs. Bordeaux; Lorient vs. Monaco; Montpellier vs. Arles; Nice vs. Rennes and Marseille vs. Sochaux.
Marseille and France forward Loic Remy recovered from a groin problem and is expected to make his debut at Stade Velodrome.
Remy, who joined Marseille from Nice this summer, played only one match with his new club so far.
"I've been able to train this week and I'll be OK for Sochaux and that's good news for me," Remy said. "The fans here are exceptional and I can imagine that when you are on the pitch their backing gives you wings."
Second-placed Toulouse hosts Lille on Sunday and Paris Saint-Germain travels to Lens while Brest will be looking for its first home win this season against Valenciennes.
