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Paris Saint-Germain will have the opportunity to add a third trophy to their season tally on Saturday, when they face Rennes in the final of the Coupe de France.
The Ligue 1 champions have won the past four editions of the tournament and are once again the favourites going into the final. Their form has been inconsistent of late, but Neymar's return should provide a significant boost.
Kick-off at the Stade de France will be at 8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET. BeIN Sports will provide TV coverage and live-stream options for American viewers.
PSG missed out on the opportunity to win another domestic quadruple with a shock defeat in the Coupe de la Ligue quarter-finals against Guingamp in January. They've already won the Ligue 1 title and the Trophee des Champions―the French Supercup―and will be eager to banish the memories of their poor run of late with another trophy.
Here's how they got to Saturday's final:
Les Parisiens have been in dreadful form of late, missing out on three opportunities to win the Ligue 1 title with a draw against Strasbourg and losses to Lille and Nantes. Hours before Sunday's win over AS Monaco, they were crowned champions by virtue of Lille's scoreless draw against Toulouse.
Star forward Neymar made his return from injury in the 3-1 win over Monaco, doing so ahead of schedule, per sports writer Robin Bairner:
The former Barcelona man is expected to make his first start since the January win over Strasbourg, during which he got injured. The setback caused him to miss the UEFA Champions League last-16 defeat to Manchester United.
Rennes are winless in their past four matches in Ligue 1, with their most recent victory coming in the semi-finals of the Coupe de France, away to Lyon:
They rank near the middle of the Ligue 1 standings and are out of the race for the European tickets. While not mathematically assured of a spot in the top division for next season, they have a 13-point lead over 18th-place Dijon with just five gameweeks left.
That makes the Coupe de France final their clear highlight of the remainder of the season. PSG have been a little busier of late, trying to lock up the title, but they too will have their full attention on the task at hand.
The talent gap between the two sides is significant, and while Rennes overcame the odds to beat Lyon away from home in the semi-finals, Les Parisiens present a far stiffer challenge. Neymar's return will put them over the top in the final.
Prediction: Rennes 1-4 PSG
Third-tier side Les Herbiers will attempt to beat mega-rich Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain when the two meet in the 2018 Coupe de France final at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis on Tuesday, May 8.
PSG have ample motivation to avoid an upset, with the domestic treble in their sights. Manager Unai Emery, who will leave the club in the summer, already has the Ligue 1 title and Coupe de la Ligue to his credit.
However, Emery should be wary of Les Herbiers since the third division outfit saw off Auxerre and Racing Club Lens en route to the final. A win over fellow third-tier side Chambly in the last four back in April turned an already thrilling cup run into a minor miracle.
Here are the schedule and viewing details for the final:
Date: Tuesday, May 8
Time: 8:05 p.m. BST/3:05 p.m. ET.
TV Info: beIN Sports USA.
Live Stream: beIN Sports CONNECT. fuboTV.
If there's any good news for Les Herbiers, it's that PSG will still be without Neymar. The world's most expensive player continues to recover from a foot injury, but his absence hasn't blunted PSG's formidable forward line.
In fact, centre-forward Edinson Cavani is arguably in the best form of his career. The Uruguay international recently became the club's record goalscorer, with Squawka Football detailing his impressive numbers:
Cavani's power and subtle movement should be too much for Les Herbiers' defence. The 31-year-old has progressed as a finisher on Emery's watch and is a good bet to add to his tally in the final.
Emery has helped refine Cavani's game, but the powerhouse striker has also benefited from playing alongside Kylian Mbappe. The precocious 19-year-old's pace can scare any defender.
Mbappe has made his debut season with Les Parisiens a successful one, per OptaJean:
As if the complementary talents of Mbappe and Cavani aren't enough to contend with, Les Herbiers will also need to be mindful of Angel Di Maria. The mercurial Argentina international possesses the vision and flair to create chances for fun.
Di Maria has also made this competition his own, scoring seven goals in five matches this season.
Les Herbiers' best chance of springing what would be a major surprise likely rest on Kevin Rocheteau. The 24-year-old Chamois Niortais loanee has the guile and eye for goal to cause PSG problems between the midfield and forward lines.
Meanwhile, Ivory Coast striker Ambroise Gboho scored in the semi-final and the round of 16.
Tom Williams of Agence France-Presse underlined how Les Herbiers will have to deal with occasion:
Les Herbiers do have some match-winners in the final third, yet it's hard to see how the first side from French football's third tier to reach the final since Quevilly in 2012 will be able to keep PSG's stars at bay.
Paris Saint-Germain defeated Angers 1-0 to capture their third successive Coupe de France crown on Saturday, where Issa Cissokho headed in a 91st-minute own goal and was the inadvertent hero for the capital giants.
Manager Unai Emery's side made up for their runner-up finish in Ligue 1 by becoming the first team to win three Coupe de France titles in succession since 1948.
PSG were hardly at their most impressive en route to a tetchy triumph, and ESPN FC's Jonathan Johnson remarked on Edinson Cavani's heartbreak at missing out just shy of his 50-goal season:
Get French Football provided a look at the magnificent tifo unveiled before kick-off to commemorate the 100th edition of this fixture:
Angers came to the Stade de France having never won a major title in their 98-year history, and beating the in-form team of Ligue 1 in recent years would have been a dramatic way to break that duck.
There was much at stake for PSG after they finished second in Ligue 1, however, and football writer Mohammed Ali detailed exactly how a defeat on home soil could have greatly affected their summer preparations for next term:
Wary of the prize that awaited, Angers looked tentative in committing bodies to the attack, which only granted their enemies the space they needed to dig out the early share of chances on goal.
The underdogs were up to the task of repelling PSG's charge, however, and AFP's Andy Scott picked out Nicolas Pepe for praise when his effort struck the woodwork near the half-hour mark:
That was about as close as either outfit came to unearthing the opener in the first half, though, and PSG's frustrations were evident in both winger Angel Di Maria and right-back Serge Aurier drawing yellows just before half-time.
Aurier was particularly fortunate not to receive a second yellow for his sharp reaction in the face of the official, a response that drew negative attention from Football Whispers' Andrew Gibney:
Di Maria gave the Stade rare cause to rise to its feet in the 58th minute when he sizzled a free-kick into the side netting, but still the two teams remained scoreless with little more than 30 minutes remaining.
The two teams continued their back-and-forth into the deeper phases of the second period, and Julian Draxler was taken off after a quiet 72-minute stint, with Javier Pastore on as his replacement.
The further the fixture wore on, the clearer it became Angers would be content taking the game to extra time, although PSG appeared far more eager to end the match within the 90 minutes.
PSG's last major chance in normal time fell to the one man they'd want in front of goal this season, but Johnson noted it was typical Cavani skewed his poke wide of the net in search of a historic 50th goal of the 2016-17 campaign:
Fortunately for him, Blaise Matuidi's pressure from a PSG corner in the first of two added injury-time minutes and saw Cissokho nudge the ball into his own net at the death, extending Angers' agonising wait for a major trophy.
It was almost cruel that their staunch challenge should end by such ugly means, but PSG cared little as they improved their record success in this tournament:
ESPN FC's Gabriele Marcotti discussed earlier this month that Emery's position as PSG boss was under scrutiny, but Saturday's triumph may provide some form of lifeline if he's to have a hope of keeping his spot at the Parc des Princes.
It was far from glamorous, but his side ground out the result in the end, while Angers return to the drawing board knowing they missed a rare opportunity to end a silverware wait lasting almost a century.
Paris Saint-Germain will be out to ensure they finish the 2016-17 season in style on Saturday, when they face Angers in Saint-Denis in the final of the Coupe de France.
It's a crucial match for manager Unai Emery, too. Having come up short in the UEFA Champions League and relinquished their Ligue 1 title to Monaco, the campaign has felt like an underwhelming one for the Parisians. A win here, coupled with their Coupe de la Ligue triumph from earlier in the campaign, would send everyone off for the summer in a positive mood.
Angers, meanwhile, have made it to this stage of the domestic competition for the first time in 60 years and can approach this contest knowing there's no pressure on them.
A fascinating finale to the French season is in store. Here are the key viewing details for Saturday's encounter and a preview of how this contest is set to pan out.
Date: Saturday, May 27
Time: 8 p.m. (BST), 3 p.m. (ET), 9 p.m. (Local)
TV Info: beIN Sports (U.S.)
Live Stream: beIN Sports CONNECT (U.S.)
Match Preview
Regardless of whether PSG do go on to clinch the Coupe de France on Saturday, the 2016-17 season will be considered a disappointing one.
Sure, success would leave the capital club with a domestic double. But in the big competitions, they've come up short. Monaco raced away with the Ligue 1 title, playing a stunning brand of football in the process. Meanwhile, PSG's capitulation against Barcelona in the Champions League will not be forgotten in a hurry.
Still, silverware is silverware, and Emery, who has come under pressure at times this season, will hope two domestic cup successes can prompt improvement next season.
However, according to reports in France, cited by French football journalist Jonathan Johnson, the PSG boss is still being scrutinised:
The Paris club should be too strong, though. While Monaco did win the Ligue 1 title, PSG have won 13 of their last 16 league games; they're still a side in strong form. In Edinson Cavani, PSG have arguably the standout No. 9 in European football at the moment, too.
The Uruguayan was given more responsibility this term after the departure of Zlatan Ibrahimovic last summer, finally getting a run as the team's centre-forward. Cavani has led the line with purpose, intensity and aggression.
And while he does often spurn routine chances, his goal return from the current campaign is tough to argue with, per OptaJean:
With so much quality and experience in their squad, PSG will be expected to win this one comfortably. But Angers have showcased some fantastic spirit on their way to the final, no more so than in their semi-final victory over Guingamp.
Having taken the lead through Thomas Mangani, they conceded a penalty late on, giving Jimmy Briand the chance to push the match into extra time. But his effort struck the post, and, in dramatic style, Angers broke away to wrap up the tie through Karl Toko Ekambi, per Eurosport France:
They will head into this final, their first since 1957, in jubilant mood. But it's going to take an extraordinary effort from Stephane Moulin's team to pull off the victory.
That's because PSG, for all the flaws they've showcased at the highest level this season, are still a difficult outfit to tame. Emery has so much power and class to call upon, and while Angers will no doubt dig in on their big day, they will eventually falter under the waves of Parisian pressure.
Prediction: Angers 0-2 PSG
The domestic French season comes to a close on Saturday night as Olympique de Marseille take on Paris Saint-Germain at the Stade de France. Only Franck Passi's side stand between the Ligue 1 champions and a second consecutive domestic quadruple.
What a way to end the season, with Le Classique, still the biggest game in France. Take away the points gap between the two clubs and the budget differences. As soon as these two clubs come together, everything goes out the window.
Eleven fixtures have passed since Marseille last beat the Parisians in any competition, but they will still have a chance this weekend. OM finished 13th in the Ligue 1 table, but victory on Saturday would see them qualify for the UEFA Europa League, a much-needed glimmer of success for the team from the south of France.
PSG start heavy favourites, but anything is possible. Laurent Blanc will want to finish his season on a high, helping him build towards the summer, but PSG can’t take Marseille lightly.
Date: Saturday, May 21, 2016
Time: 8 p.m. BST (3 p.m ET)
Venue: Stade de France, Paris
TV Info: France 2 (France), beIN Sports USA
Live Stream: beIN Sport Connect (U.S.)
Last five results:
| Marseille | PSG |
| D Troyes 1-1 Marseille (Ligue 1) | W PSG 4-0 Nantes (Ligue 1) |
| W Marseille 1-0 Reims (Ligue 1) | D Bordeaux 1-1 PSG (Ligue 1) |
| W Angers 0-1 Marseille (Ligue 1) | W Gazelec 0-4 PSG (Ligue 1) |
| D Marseille 1-1 Nantes (Ligue 1) | W PSG 4-0 Rennes (Ligue 1) |
| W Sochaux 0-1 Marseille (Coupe de France) | W PSG 2-1 Lille (Coupe de la Ligue) |
Team News
Marseille go into the game with no real injury concerns after Georges-Kevin Nkoudou was announced as part of the travelling squad. The winger has recovered from injury, and it just remains to be seen whether he is fit enough to start the game.
Disappointing loanees, Paolo De Ceglie and Lucas Silva have been left out of Passi's squad.
Marseille will likely play 4-2-3-1, with the same XI that started against Troyes in the final Ligue 1 fixture, but with Michy Batshuayi leading the attack. There is a possibility that the Spaniard could go bold and play 4-4-2 with Batshuayi and Steve Fletcher up front. However, against PSG, that would be very brave.
Marseille (4-2-3-1): Steve Mandanda; Brice Dja Djedje, Nicolas Nkoulou, Rolando, Javier Manquillo; Mauricio Isla, Lassana Diarra; Florian Thauvin, Remy Cabella, Romain Alessandrini; Michy Batshuayi
Laurent Blanc is hoping that Blaise Matuidi will be fit to start the game after suffering from a knee injury, but Marco Verratti will continue to miss out following his successful surgery in Qatar.
If he is picked over Serge Aurier, Gregory van der Wiel will also make his last appearance for the Parisian club, per Sky Sports.
PSG (4-3-3): Salvatore Sirigu; Serge Aurier, Thiago Silva, David Luiz, Maxwell; Adrien Rabiot, Thiago Motta, Blaise Matuidi; Angel Di Maria, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Edinson Cavani
Player to Watch
It hasn’t been the best of campaigns for Romain Alessandrini, but he has started the last three league games for OM and is in line to make the XI for Saturday’s final. The midfielder is hoping that taking on the French champions can inspire the best out of his team-mates.
Alessandrini told OM.net (via Agence France-Presse, h/t Sky Sports):
We're up against a very good PSG team that is used to winning trophies, so we have nothing to lose.
It's up to us to do everything to win this match, to enjoy it and to bring the cup back to Marseille. There's an eternal rivalry between the two clubs. It's going to be rather intense to say the least. If we win, it'll be an incredible day for us.
Our best two matches this season, despite the results, were against PSG so I think it will be a high quality match.
The midfielder has scored a couple of superb goals against Paris in the past when he played for Rennes, including this cracker when they beat PSG at home in November 2012. Passi would love it if the 27-year-old could conjure up one of them on Saturday.
Key Battle
In his final game for the club, Zlatan Ibrahimovic will want to end his PSG career on the ultimate high, winning the Coupe de France. He has scored 38 league goals this season, and since arriving in France, he has 14 strikes in this competition.
Standing in the Swede’s way this weekend is the newly crowned UNFP Goalkeeper of the Season, Steve Mandanda. This is likely to be the 31-year-old’s last game for his club, per France Football (h/t Get France Football News), ending his time at Marseille after nine seasons.
Zlatan said he arrived a King and left a legend. Mandanda is already a legend to the OM faithful; if he can stop Ibrahimovic on Saturday, he will leave the club a god.
Mandanda has never kept a clean sheet against the champions over the past four seasons, and If OM want to claim that Coupe de France trophy and qualify for the Europa League, they need Mandanda to have the game of his life. When the underdogs last beat their fierce rivals, they won 3-0 at the Stade Velodrome in November 2011, and that was the last time Mandanda kept out the Parisian attack.
Ibrahimovic is in form and in the mood to say goodbye with a bang, but in Mandanda, Marseille have a goalkeeper able to stop him. He hasn’t managed that yet, but cup finals are won by heroes.
Odds (via Oddschecker)
Marseille: 10-1
Draw: 21-5
PSG: 4-11
Defending champions Paris Saint-Germain are bidding to reach a 14th Coupe de France final in the hope of going on to win the trophy for the second consecutive season, while FC Lorient are looking for a place in their second final in the competition—having won it back in 2002.
The pair meet at Stade du Moustoir on Tuesday for the semi-final just days before Les Parisiens return to the capital for the Coupe de la Ligue final against Lille OSC.
Date: Tuesday, April 19
Time: 9 p.m. CET (8 p.m. GMT/3 p.m. EST)
Venue: Stade du Moustoir, Lorient
TV Info: France 2 (France)
Live Stream: N/A
Preamble
Lorient welcome PSG to Brittany on Tuesday for the first Coupe de France semi-final, and FC Sochaux-Montbeliard host Olympique de Marseille on Wednesday.
FCL will be hoping that despite a 6-0 thrashing of SM Caen over the weekend, Laurent Blanc's men will still be dwelling on their UEFA Champions league exit at the hands of Manchester City last week.
Les Merlus have not been in the best form of late, winning just one of their last five Ligue 1 fixtures, while the men from the capital have won three of their last five across all competitions.
If the French champions can raise themselves for the game, then they will hope that Sylvain Ripoll's men do not pose too many problems. With Lille to come in the Coupe de la Ligue final at Stade de France on Saturday, Blanc will be banking on as straightforward a match as possible.
However, this is a big occasion for Lorient and their supporters, so do not expect the Bretons to go down without a fight as they seek their second Coupe de France title.
Form Lines (all competitions)
Lorient
D 1-1 vs. Olympique de Marseille (Ligue 1)
L 5-1 vs. Angers SCO (Ligue 1)
L 1-3 vs. Olympique Lyonnais (Ligue 1)
W 1-2 vs. Caen (Ligue 1)
D 1-1 vs. Toulouse FC (Ligue 1)
PSG
W 4-1 vs. OGC Nice (Ligue 1)
D 2-2 vs. Manchester City (Champions League)
W 0-2 vs. EA Guingamp (Ligue 1)
L 1-0 vs. Manchester City (Champions League)
W 6-0 vs. Caen (Ligue 1)
Predicted Formations
Lorient-Paris : les compos probables (L'Équipe) #FCLPSG #PSG pic.twitter.com/EKiTNdqq4P
— Paris No Limit™ (@ParisNoLimit) April 19, 2016
Lorient (4-4-2): Lecomte; Gassama, Rose, Toure, Guerreiro; Bellugou; Jouffre (c), N’Dong, Mesloub, Barthelme; Waris.
PSG (4-3-3): Sirigu; Aurier, Marquinhos, Silva (c), Maxwell; Stambouli, Rabiot, Matuidi; Lucas, Ibrahimovic, Di Maria.
Player to Watch
One of Lorient's main threats on Tuesday will a player PSG know very well. As reported by Le Parisien (h/t ESPN FC's Mark Rodden), Raphael Guerreiro was a target for the French champions until he rejected them and the capital club secured Layvin Kurzawa from AS Monaco instead.
The Portugal international scored a delightful goal in a 3-1 defeat at Parc des Princes back in February and has played very well against Les Parisiens each time he has come up against them—undoubtedly one of the things that attracted the Ligue 1 leaders to him in the first place.
Guerreiro is expected to line up at left-back on Tuesday but he will be expected to get forward as often as possible. Capable of playing anywhere along the left side, his polyvalence is another one of his greatest qualities.
Assuming that Serge Aurier starts at right-back for PSG, the Paris-born Portuguese could have plenty of joy up against the Ivory Coast international because of the African's rustiness since returning from an internal suspension.
It will also be one of Guerreiro's jobs to try to get the ball to Lorient striker Majeed Waris as often as possible, as well as trying to shackle the threat posed by Lucas Moura's searing pace on the PSG right.
Les Merlus' No. 14 will be desperate to help his side to reach just their second Coupe de France final.
Key Battle
Although Waris will be a danger for the PSG defence, the Lorient back line will face a tough task of their own.
The likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Edinson Cavani, Angel Di Maria and Lucas Moura will fill Ripoll's defenders with fear, and the outcome of their match will largely be decided by how well the hosts can muzzle their illustrious visitors.
Scoring against PSG, although difficult, will not be the hardest task that Lorient face in trying to reach the final on Tuesday.
Odds (OddsChecker)
Lorient: 42/5
PSG: 5/12
Draw: 4/1
Rather than being left to dwell on their first league defeat of the season, Paris Saint-Germain are straight back into action this week as they take on Saint-Etienne in the last eight of the Coupe de France.
PSG manager Laurent Blanc will be keen to get back to winning ways—not only with the Parisians' key second leg against Chelsea on the horizon, but they won’t want to lose control of the trophy they won last season.
Les Verts, sitting seventh in Ligue 1, face a battle to qualify for Europe next season so this could be their best route of qualifying for the Europa League. However, as PSG have shown this season, although Lyon managed to come out victorious on Sunday, beating Blanc's men is not an easy task.
Date: Wednesday, March 2, 2016
Time: 8:05 p.m. GMT (3:05 p.m ET)
Venue: Stade Geoffroy-Guichard
TV Info: France 3 (France), beIN Sport (U.S.)
Live Stream: beIN Sport Connect (U.S.)
Last Five Results
| Saint-Etienne | Paris Saint-Germain |
|---|---|
| L Saint-Etienne 1-2 Caen (Ligue 1) | L Lyon 2-1 PSG (Ligue 1) |
| L Basel 2-1 Saint-Etienne (Europa League) | W PSG 4-1 Reims (Ligue 1) |
| D Marseille 1-1 Saint-Etienne (Ligue 1) | W PSG 2-1 Chelsea (Champions League) |
| W Saint-Etienne 3-2 Basel (Europa League) | D PSG 1-1 Lille (Ligue 1) |
| D Saint-Etienne 1-1 Monaco (Ligue 1) | W PSG 3-0 Lyon (Coupe de France) |
PSG Team News
Laurent Blanc revealed during Tuesday's press conference that Marco Verratti would likely miss Wednesday's game. Angel Di Maria passed some physical examinations, but Blanc wouldn't confirm if the Argentinian would be part of the squad.
Predicted Formation (4-3-3): Salvatore Sirigu; Gregory van der Wiel, Marquinhos, David Luiz, Layvin Kurzawa; Benjamin Stambouli, Marco Verratti, Adrien Rabiot; Javier Pastore, Edinson Cavani, Jean-Kevin Augustin
Saint-Etienne Team News
Saint-Etienne head coach Christophe Galtier goes into Wednesday’s Coupe de France quarter-final without a number of key players (in French). PSG loanee Jean-Christophe Bahebeck and Romain Hamouma will both miss the game through injury, with January signing Oussama Tannane unavailable due to a family bereavement.
With Bahebeck and Tannane out, expect Nolan Roux to start upfront, willing to run the channels and provide Saint-Etienne with an outlet. Kevin Monnet-Paquet on the other side will provide a similar threat, but with more ability on the ball.
Predicted Formation (4-3-3): Stephane Ruffier; Kevin Theophile-Catherine, Moustapha Bayal Sall, Florentin Pogba, Franck Tabanou; Fabien Lemoine, Vincent Pajot, Renaud Cohade; Nolan Roux, Alexander Soderlund, Kevin Monnet-Paquet
Player to Watch
Ever since Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang left les Verts, the club have been constantly looking for a centre-forward to replace the Gabon international. At the start of the campaign, it looked like Robert Beric would be that man. The Slovenian scored three times in seven starts, but his season was finished after a tackle from Jordan Ferri (article in French) against Lyon ruptured knee ligaments.
In January, Alexander Soderlund joined from Rosenborg, and in just his second appearance (in French), the Norwegian scored the winning goal against their rivals Lyon. That made him an instant hero among the home fans. Now, although he has scored just one more goal in nine appearances, his hold-up play and eye for goal could be Saint-Etienne’s only route to goal.
Key Battle
Against Lyon, it was clear that one of PSG’s biggest weaknesses come down the flanks. Brazilian veteran Maxwell showed his age, and Gregory van der Wiel did a great job in showing Blanc what he is missing during Serge Aurier’s suspension.
For Saint-Etienne to have any chance of success on Wednesday, they need to attack down the wing and hope the midfield pushes and presses the same way that Lyon did on Sunday.
With Roux, although he is naturally a centre-forward, he is a player who always gives 100 percent and will run the channels until his legs give way. Monnet-Paquet gives another dimension to the front line, with skill, drive and pace—although he needs to be in the right mood, he has the ability to turn a game and give PSG’s full-backs a game to remember.
Layvin Kurzawa will likely play, to allow Maxwell to rest, but defence is not a strong point of the younger left-back’s game. Pushed back, you take away his attacking strength. It makes for an interesting battle, and this may be where the game will be won.
Odds (via Oddschecker)
Home win: 51-10
Away win: 13-19
Draw: 29-10
