While football fans across France dig out their season tickets and replica shirts for this weekend's Ligue 1 kick-off, optimistic Bordeaux fans could be forgiven for also reaching for their boots.
Coach Francis Gillot admits a pre-season injury crisis has left him struggling to find 18 available players to make up his matchday squad for the opener away to Evian.
Landry Nguemo (knee tendinitis) and Abdou Traore (thigh) have joined an injury list which already included Jussie, Carlos Henrique and Andre Biyogo Poko.
Ludovic Obraniak (foot) is also doubtful and Gillot told L'Equipe: "Jaroslav Plasil is another worry. I am just hoping to find 18 players to travel to Evian.''
Big-spending Paris St Germain are intent on wresting the title away from Montpellier and begin their challenge at home to Lorient on Saturday.
Goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu told the club website: "We saw last season that the championship is difficult but winning the league will be a priority for us.
"This season, we will compete in four competitions and we will give 100% to be competitive in each of them.''
Rene Girard's reigning champions kick off the season with a home game against Toulouse weakened by the absence of midfield trio Younes Belhanda, summer signing Anthony Mounier and the suspended Marco Estrada. Toulouse will be missing Paulo Machado but are able to call on France newcomer Etienne Capoue.
Lyon go into their game against Rennes with doubts over the future of Anthony Reveillere, with talks in progress regarding a player exchange deal for PSG centre-half Milan Bisevac.
Mouhamadou Dabo is on standby to replace the France full-back but coach Remi Garde told L'Equipe: "While (Reveillere) is a Lyon player, he is in contention. We will see.''
Goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, who has also been linked with a move away from Les Gones, is struggling with illness and Garde will make a late decision on his availability. Remy Vercoutre is also in contention and Lisandro Lopez has been passed fit, but defender Dejan Lovren misses out.
Elsewhere on Saturday, 2010 champions Lille travel to St Etienne while Nice host Ajaccio and Nancy take on Brest.
Two of last season's promoted sides are in action the same day, with Bastia travelling to Sochaux and Troyes hosting Valenciennes.
Troyes' Mounir Abbadi sums up the excitement of the newcomers as he prepares for the first Ligue 1 match of a 10-year career, and he told his club's website: "I can't wait. We are desperate to get started in the league. We have been working and preparing for six weeks, it's time for it to start.''
The third promoted team, Reims, face a prestigious opener against Marseille on Sunday.
OM, though, are looking to bounce back from a season which, despite bringing a Coupe de la Ligue win, was dismally below par in the league.
New coach Elie Baup is also bracing himself for the exit of several players before the end of the transfer window, but said: "I have to find solutions and results with the team at my disposal.
"I knew when I arrived that players would be leaving, and that probably concerns important players, but I have been given a guarantee they will be replaced.''
