Shelbourne v Lille Lansdowne Road, 7.00Not without reason are the French proud of their clubs' performances at European level in recent seasons, although the country's very best players are drawn almost irresistibly across the English channel to a league where average top-flight attendances are 75 per cent higher, average club budgets are twice as high and average wages are more than double at home in France.
But while Monaco and Marseille both made it to European finals last May not even free-spending Chelsea could provide England with an interest in one of the UEFA's two end-of-season showpiece games.
Lille are by comparison with the likes of Monaco and Marseille an average French team, but the fact that they can survive at all in a league containing some of the continent's best club sides of the present time makes a mockery of the suggestion from their camp that they, rather than Shelbourne, are the underdogs in this final eliminator for a place in the UEFA Cup group stages.
The French are handicapped, however, by having arrived in Ireland last night without their most creative player, former Tottenham midfielder Milenko Acimovic. The 27-year-old had the potential to cause Pat Fenlon's side some serious problems but picked up a calf injury in last week's international game between Slovenia and Scotland.
Even without the 27-year-old midfielder they possess a strong enough squad to test the Irish champions with the likes of African strikers Jean Makoun, skipper Philippe Brunel and Greek centre back Stathis Tavlaridis possessing a level of ability that generally comes at a price too high for Irish clubs. Lille, though, are hardly huge spenders and sold on no fewer than six of last season's mid-table side - including the leading scorer - during the summer.
They have done well to come through Inter Toto Cup games against Dinamo Minsk, Slaven Belupo and Leiria to get this far, but in their opening league games of the French season they have not looked like good travellers and any sort of a slip-up tonight could leave them feeling the pressure in the return leg.
For a game of this nature, however, Shelbourne could do with being at full strength and the loss of both Stuart Byrne and Alan Moore, due to suspension, is likely to hit the home side hard. Moore, in particular, has looked the sort of player who could have opened up a defence like Lille's.
As if those bans (and his own from the dugout) weren't enough for Fenlon to deal with he is also still waiting on Cameroon international Joseph Ndo who faces a late fitness test on a groin strain today after managing only a bit part in yesterday training session at Lansdowne Road. Jim Crawford and Thomas Morgan already look set to start in the absence of the suspended pair but if the former St Patrick's player misses out, too, then Ger McCarthy or Alan Cawley may end up starting.
The Dubliners have yet to concede a goal at home in Europe but could do with posing more of a threat at the other end if they are to stand a serious chance of making what would be an historic breakthrough by progressing to the group stages.
Fenlon insists that a goalless draw would keep his side in with a serious shout of going through, but a goal or two would put them in a much stronger position and Jason Byrne looks the most likely source despite having struggled by his on standards in the European campaign so far.
"In fairness to Jason," says Fenlon, "we've asked him to do a lot of different things for us in the games so far, so we have no complaints. He's played very well. There were a couple of chances in the away game to Deportivo that I think he knows himself he might have put away, but he contributes a lot and I don't care where the goals come from."
After training last night the message from the French camp was they, too, would settle for the game ending without a goal - anything more would be viewed as a bonus. Like Deportivo they would fancy their chances of wearing Shelbourne down in the return leg if the Irish don't bring something along with them to defend. They are not quite in the same class as the Spaniards and though it's a long shot Fenlon's men may just manage their biggest upset of the campaign so far at their southside home from home.
PROBABLE LINE-UPS
SHELBOURNE: Williams; Heary, Harris, Rogers, Crawley; Ndo, Hoolahan, Morgan, Crawford, Cahill; J Byrne.
LILLE: Sylva; Chalne, Tavaridis, Vitakic, Taffereau; Bodmer, Makoun; Dumont, Landrin, Brunel; Massilou.
