Star All Blacks playmaker Dan Carter is set to make his highly-anticipated debut for Perpignan against Leicester in a must-win European Cup showdown this weekend.

Carter was signed by the Catalan club on a lucrative six-month contract reportedly worth 34,600 euros ($A68,542) a game, but is facing a mountain of a task to turn the side's European fortunes around.

Perpignan lie third in Pool 3 on five points, with Leicester in pole on 14 points and Ospreys on 10 but who will be looking for a bonus-point victory over Italian whipping boys Treviso. Only the six group winners are guaranteed a spot in the qualifying round alongside the top two second-placed teams.

"We are not masters of our own destiny now," club president Paul Goze admitted.

"We are going all out to beat Leicester and have no regrets."

Goze said the club's target would now be turned squarely on the French Top 14 competition, where they lie third.

"USAP are a good team but one which, until now, has never been able to make that last step up," he said.

"With Carter, we have the possibility of doing that. He can lead us to the French championship, which we have been waiting for 54 years."

Leicester coach Heyneke Meyer tried to play down Carter's significance in the rematch of last weekend's game in England won 38-27 by the Tigers.

"Obviously it's difficult going to France and there will be a lot of hype around Carter because he's a world-class player, but in every single game in this tough tournament you face world-class players," the South African said.

"For me, it's not about one player. It's about playing against a team and focusing on what we're going to do well.

"It will be a different situation and there are things that we need to work on, but there will be a lot of pressure on them to play well."

Brought to you by AAP © 2024 AAP