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Monaco, Marseille, Strasbourg and Lens will all be looking for positive results in tonight's UEFA Cup matches.
Ligue 1 draw specialists Lens kick-off their match first, and they take on Hertha Berlin in Germany hoping to increase their chances of qualifying from Group C.
A 5-0 thrashing of Halmstad last time out helped Francis Gillot's side up to second in the five-team table, from which three go through, but they can expect a more thorough examination from the side placed fifth in the Bundesliga.
And their task has been made even more complicated by injuries to influential midfielder Jérôme Leroy and Malian defender Adama Coulibaly. The latter's absence means Nicolas Gillet is set to enjoy a rare start alongside Vitorino Hilton.
Monaco also face German opposition, and their match with Hamburg at the Stade Louis II ought to be a hard-fought game, not least because Francesco Guidolin's charges must put their shock 1-0 loss away to Viking Stavanger in their opening match behind them.
That result left them joint-bottom of Group A, and they will have to make do without Brazilian right-back Douglas Maicon as well as long-term convalescents Flavio Roma and Sébastien Squillaci as they search for three points against the only team to have beaten Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga this season.
For their part, the visitors – who lead the group - have the luxury of a full squad to choose from, and boast former Marseille man Daniel van Buyten among their ranks, as well as Dutch sensation Rafael van der Vaart.
Bizarrely, Ligue 1 strugglers Strasbourg have the best record of all the French teams involved in the competition, despite propping up the domestic table and having yet to record a single victory.
In contrast, they have won both their Group E fixtures so far, but that good run could well change when they take on Roma at the Stadio Olimpico. The Serie A outfit are clearly of a different calibre to Basel and Tromso, and Strasbourg are missing a number of key players.
Star striker Mickaël Pagis has not made the trip, for example, and he is joined on the sidelines by Jean-Christophe Devaux, Yves Deroff and Ulrich Le Pen. Coach Jacky Duguépéroux can nonetheless call upon Cédric Kanté and Alexander Farnerud, as the duo have recovered from a groin and ankle complaint respectively.
The hosts have problems of their own, meanwhile, with midfielder Alessandro Mancini and striker Vincenzo Montella unfit to take part, and Simone Perotta serving a suspension. Controversial forward Antonio Cassano has been recalled for the game, despite his ongoing contract dispute with club officials, and much of the attention is sure to fall on how he reacts on the pitch.
Marseille face less glamorous opposition in Dutch side Heerenveen, however the atmosphere at the Stade Vélrodrome is likely to be as charged as it always is on European nights.
"Heerenveen aren't a great team but they are solid," explained Marseille Coach Jean Fernandez. "We'll have to play at a fast pace to cause them problems. If we let them dictate the tempo, we'll be the ones with problems."
He welcomes back Sabri Lamouchi, Bostjan Cesar and Taye Taiwo from suspension after they missed the 2-1 win over Nantes at the weekend, while Wilson Oruma and Mamadou Niang have both overcome knocks and are ready to feature.
Marseille picked up an excellent 2-1 triumph away to CSKA Moscow in their first and only match so far, and will be looking to extend their lead at the top of Group F.
Group G strugglers Rennes are not in action this week.
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