The Frenchman limped off Fir Park on Saturday with a hamstring injury only minutes after coming on. "Two weeks out," was his manager Walter Smith's immediate assessment.

Yet the striker said: "After the match on Saturday I thought I had no chance of playing, but since then I have made a quite swift improvement. I will see the medical team and have some more treatment. I will do everything I can up to the last moment to play.

"Obviously the Champions League is a very special competition and coming back to play Lyon is great. They are still the benchmark in French football."

He stressed, though, that he would take no risks.

"I don't want to be out for two months. We have the Celtic match soon and that is an incredible fixture and I am very keen to play in that. I have been waiting for that match for some time," he said.

Darcheville, if sore, was pleased to return to France.

"I am happy to be back at Stade Gerland particularly after last season when Bordeaux played Lyon three times. We won twice and drew once and one of those victories was in the final of the league cup. So, personally, it's all positive and I hope it continues in the same vein tomorrow evening."