Marco Verratti: 'A huge match awaits'

HiS shape

"I am feeling good thankfully, because we will need to be 100% against a team that deserves its place in the league table. They are a direct competitor for the title, we will be playing away from home but we are confident and we want to go out and win all three points."

LYON

"It's one of the most interesting matches to play in, against some top players. Lyon are a consistent side, we will really need to be at our best because a huge match awaits us and they have some excellent players too. It will be difficult but we want to win there."

HiS position

"I have been playing higher up the pitch for the last couple of matches, I am feeling good, but I am not a number 10 and the coach knows it. He gives me a bit of freedom, it's up to me to go and find spaces based on the opposition and their system. I am feeling good, if I am useful to the team in that role, that's great. I always try to be as useful as possible to the team."

THE TITLE RACE

"We have struggled a bit against the teams at the top this season. Winning against your direct competitors is important and that's what we want to do tomorrow. It will be a really top match, we want to show what we are capable of, it's a bit trickier this season, but we are getting players back bit by bit. There have been several matches where we have had several players missing. There is more competition for places now, it's good for the team. Each season, we always take this match very seriously, and tomorrow even more so."

The season

"We have been less consistent this season, the year has been complicated for everyone. The start of the campaign was tougher than usual given the players we were missing. But we still have important matches to come, which will count towards the title race. It's down to us to stand up and be counted, to perform and find the way to win."

THE BIG MATCHES

"Following the Champions League draw, we were happy, because we are going to have big match after big match. It's what we want as professional footballers. We are a top side, and we are missing just a couple of things in order to really be at the top. This kind of match, against Lyon, and soon against Lille and Bayern, allow us to take this step up. There are lots of big matches to come this season, we need to believe in ourselves, because our fans believe in us, we need to give our all."