There’s action from the Coupe de France on Tuesday night as the semi-finals of the domestic cup competition roll around and features this upcoming tussle between Ligue 1 outfit, Nice, and their National 2 visitors, FC Versailles, at the Allianz Riviera.
Nice are priced as the obvious favourites for this clash being the Ligue 1 side and also holding home advantage at the Allianz Riviera but the favourites tag may well be justified for the hosts as they’ve lost just two of their last 12 matches overall in all competitions.
[#CoupeDeFrance] 🏋️ - Entraînement sous un temps magnifique pour nos Versaillais ce matin. pic.twitter.com/ggS6Y1UAkk— FC Versailles 78 👑 (@FCVersailles78) February 28, 2022
[#CoupeDeFrance] 🏋️ - Entraînement sous un temps magnifique pour nos Versaillais ce matin. pic.twitter.com/ggS6Y1UAkk
These two defeats came in the form of losses against Clermont and Lyon, both of which were in Ligue 1 action, but nine wins during this 12-match period suggests that Nice may well wrestle control of this semi-final tie over their lower league opponents.
Tuesday’s hosts, Nice, have reached the semi-finals stage of this season’s Coupe de France by virtue of wins against Cholet (1-0 away), a win on penalties against PSG and a comprehensive 4-1 rout of Marseille at home in the quarter-finals.
Onto FC Versailles and the visitors have done a remarkable job of reaching the final four of this season’s Coupe de France as the lower league battlers have progressed through the early rounds of the competition, winning six ties overall to get this far.
Victories over Olympique Lumbrois, Poissy, Sarre Union, La Roche, Toulouse and Bergerac (the latter victory being by way of a penalty shoot-out), have helped the visitors into an unlikely semi-final spot.
However, this could be where FC Versailles’ cup fairytale ends as they make their way to the more illustrious surroundings of the Allianz Riviera where they’ll be pitting their wits against a French top flight side who have won three out of their last four games on home soil in Ligue 1.
Despite winning each of their last six away ties in the Coupe de France, Tuesday night’s visitors, FC Versailles, have yet had to play away from home against Ligue 1 opposition in their domestic cup history and this could well be the undoing of the lower league side, particularly towards the end of the second half where Nice’s superior fitness may take control of the tie.
To sum up, anything other than a Nice win here would be a major upset.