After failing to capture a fifth consecutive Ligue 1 title, Paris Saint-Germain will look to put their disappointing league campaign behind them by claiming the Coupe de France trophy on Saturday, 27th May.
Despite having the chance to close the gap at the top of the table to just one point back in February, PSG finished the season eight points off of eventual title winners Monaco.
The club will undoubtedly feel that their season has been a failure. They lost the title and crashed out of the Champions League at the Round of 16 stage, despite holding a 4-1 advantage over Barcelona following the first leg. They did claim the Coupe de la Ligue trophy back in April, securing a 4-1 victory over league rivals Monaco in the final. Yet, that will be little consolation for a club that have grown used to dominating French football in recent years.
Yet, they will still be raring to go as they seek to limit the damage and claim their second trophy of the season on Saturday evening.
Their opponents on the night will be Angers SCO. The Ligue 1 club finished the season in 12th place, just 10 points off of the relegation spots. Yet, while their league campaign has been somewhat mediocre, the French club has performed far better in the Coupe de France tournament.
The club eased past US Granville, SM Caen, CA Bastia, Girondins de Bordeaux and EA Guingamp on their way to a final clash with European heavyweights PSG. While they have yet to face a foe of PSG’s quality, Stéphane Moulin’s side will be hopeful that they can, at the very least, give their opponent’s a decent game.
Unsurprisingly, the odds are in PSG’s favour. The two Ligue 1 clubs have met twice so far this season and Unai Emery’s side claimed 2-0 victories on both occasions. PSG are likely to blow their opposition away once again this weekend.
They have breezed through the competition, scoring 22 goals in just five matches, including a 5-0 demolition of Monaco in the semi-final. Even then, Emery played a weakened squad in all five of those matches. He is likely to throw his stars into the mix this weekend, with Edinson Cavani likely to take his place up front. With four goals in his last three matches, the Uruguayan will fancy his chances of grabbing a few more goals to end the season on a high.
Of course, there is always a chance of the underdog causing an upset in cup competitions, but PSG’s star-studded squad will likely prove too much for Angers.