Lyon warms up for Champions League against Caen

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02/10/2012 - Lyon, France (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Lyon slipped 10 points behind Ligue 1 leader PSG last weekend, so a visit by Caen on Saturday - ahead of Tuesday's last 16 Champions League match against APOEL - has turned into a must-win match.

Since winning the last of seven straight Ligue 1 titles in 2008, Lyon has not finished atop the standings, and faces a tough ascent this season behind free spending PSG.

PSG has spent well over $100 million in the summer and this January, and with Carlo Ancelotti undefeated in five matches in all competitions as coach, Lyon cannot afford to drop any more points.

Although last week's result was a 2-2 draw against Marseille, it left both of PSG's rivals farther from the top.

"It's a good draw, but one that does leave us harboring a few regrets. My team has character, but we were lacking a little something to win it. But it's still a point more," Lyon coach Remi Garde said.

"That's important ahead of the big games that we've got coming up in the Champions League."

Caen is winless in its last eight Ligue 1 matches, and has not scored over its last three. The club's last win was against Dijon, in Week 13.

"Everyone wants to pull in the same direction, whether you play a lot or not, whether it be the oldest or the youngest member of the squad, whether you're at the end of your contract or not. You have to think about the club, and try and find that little spark," said Caen midfielder Frederic Bulot.

Caen would get a spark with a win at Lyon, and it has a lot to play for with a place in the relegation zone possible otherwise. With Champions League play on the horizon, and sight of the summit fading, Lyon has a lot to play for also.

Also Saturday, second-place Montpellier hosts Ajaccio, Auxerre hosts Lorient, Valenciennes hosts Nancy, Brest hosts Dijon, and Rennes hosts Sochaux. Evian was set to host Marseille, but the match has been postponed.

On Sunday, PSG visits Nice when it could need a result to pull clear of rival Montpellier, which enters the weekend just three points back.

"It's a perilous trip," said PSG's Mathieu Bodmer. "Nice need points, as do we in terms of the Ligue 1 title. We're going down there to take three points.

"We're going to be focused, highly-motivated, and will go out onto the pitch with the aim of playing better than we did against Evian, but it's the result which counts."

Third-place Lille hosts Bordeaux in a match of two of the last three champions and Toulouse hosts St Etienne in Sunday's other fixtures.

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FOOTBALL BETTING : Cassel Signs Contract

Kansas City, MO - Kansas City has not officially named Matt Cassel its starting quarterback, but there can be no doubt now.

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After praising his leadership and work ethic through spring workouts, the Chiefs announced Tuesday they had signed the 27-year-old Cassel to a multiyear contract. Terms were not disclosed, but he will almost certainly be one of the highest-paid members of the team.
"We are excited to be able to reach a long-term agreement for Matt Cassel to be a Kansas City Chief for many years to come," owner and board chairman Clark Hunt said in a statement. "His proven leadership on and off the field will be a tremendous asset to the organization."
Patriots made him their franchise player, meaning his salary for this season will be about $15 million.
New head coach Todd Haley, taking over for Herm Edwards after a 2-14 season, refused to name a starter at any position during offseason workouts. But it was obvious to everyone the team belonged to Cassel.
"I go out there each and every day with that focus that I'm the starter," Cassel said during a June minicamp. "Competition brings out the best in everybody."
The signing will come as welcome news to Cassel's new coaches and teammates. Amiable and hardworking, online football betting he appeared to win over everyone at minicamp.
"I think he's got some unique leadership qualities. I think his teammates like him and have respect for him. I think he's doing a pretty good job on the field, too," Haley said last month. "He's doing everything that I'm asking him, that our coaches are asking him to do. I don't have one single complaint how he's carrying himself."
After one workout, wide receiver Devard Darling declared Cassel "a breath of fresh air."
"He has a lot of swagger, a lot of confidence. It's good for us," said Darling. "We trust in him that he's going to go out there and lead us all the way."
nse to accommodate his specific abilities.
Trapped on the bench behind Heisman winners Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart at USC and then unable to unseat Super Bowl MVP Brady at New England, Cassel seemed destined to be a backup all his life. As Brady was helped off the field last September, Cassel seized the opportunity he'd been waiting for since high school.
In his only sustained action since his teens, he hit 349 of 555 passes for 3,949 yards at New England. He had 23 touchdown passes and 13 interceptions as the Patriots, who had gone unbeaten through the regular season the year before, finished 11-5 and out of the playoffs.
Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli, who had been Bill Belichick's assistant in New England, engineered the trade after the Patriots became convinced that Brady would recover fully from his knee operation.
"Since Matt arrived in Kansas City, he has embraced the team and the community," Pioli said. "His work ethic, his ability and competitive presence is what we expect from our players."

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