Lyon vs PSG

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Paris Saint-Germain faces a formidable challenge in the Coupe de France final as they aim to secure a domestic double by overcoming a resurgent Lyon on Saturday.

On the flip side, Lyon has already secured an unexpected Europa League qualification, and they now have the opportunity to bid farewell to Kylian Mbappe with a disappointing exit from Paris.

The 2023-24 season for Lyon has been a tale of two halves. Initially struggling and flirting with relegation, they faced public criticism from their fans after a humiliating defeat to PSG in September.

However, under Pierre Sage's guidance, Lyon turned their fortunes around remarkably. They surged up the table, leaving relegation fears behind and clinching a top-six finish with an impressive four-game winning streak to end the season.

Monaco, Lille, Clermont, and Strasbourg all succumbed to Lyon's dominance, allowing them to leapfrog Lens and secure sixth place. Lyon's remarkable resurgence saw them accumulate 40 points from 18 matches in the second half of the season, the highest in the league. This turnaround ensures their participation in next season's Europa League group stage.

Les Gones made it to the final of the nation's top competition for the ninth time, but ironically, recent Ligue 1 victims Lille and Strasbourg were also among Lyon's casualties in this year's Coupe de France. The list also included three lower-league clubs in Pontarlier, Bergerac, and Valenciennes.

Lyon, the five-time Coupe de France champions, have won their last two trips to the championship game; nonetheless, their most notable ascent to prominence was during the 2011–12 campaign, when Lisandro Lopez won the game against Quevilly.

If Lyon's comeback in the top league is for nothing at the Stade de France, however, PSG might return home with three times as many Coupe de France victories as their opponents, having lifted the trophy a stunning fourteen times throughout the years.

Naturally, no other French team can equal PSG's unparalleled record of Coupe de France victories (ten to their name, Marseille being their closest rivals). However, Les Parisiens have not won the competition in almost three years, having last triumphed over Monaco in the 2021 finale.

If Lyon's comeback in the top league is for nothing at the Stade de France, however, PSG might return home with three times as many Coupe de France victories as their opponents, having lifted the trophy a stunning fourteen times throughout the years.

Naturally, no other French team can equal PSG's unparalleled record of Coupe de France victories (ten to their name, Marseille being their closest rivals). However, Les Parisiens have not won the competition in almost three years, having last triumphed over Monaco in the 2021 finale.

The capital giants secured the honor for the sixth time in seven seasons, with their sole setback being a loss in the 2019 final to Rennes on penalties. However, they experienced premature exits in the last 16 in the subsequent seasons, losing to Nice in 2021-22 and falling short against Marseille last year.

Although the elusive Champions League trophy still eludes PSG, Luis Enrique's team comfortably retained their Ligue 1 title. They boosted their confidence with consecutive wins over Nice (2-1) and Metz (2-0) to wrap up the top-flight campaign.

Ending their worrying streak of 10 matches without a clean sheet, PSG shut out Metz. They dominated Sage's side in both league encounters in the 2023-24 season, winning 4-1. However, their previous encounter with Les Gones in the Coupe de France final in 2008 resulted in a 1-0 extra-time victory for Lyon, courtesy of a 102nd-minute goal by Sidney Govou.

The Lyon coach's main dilemma lies in the goalkeeping position. Initially, Anthony Lopes was preferred for the team's initial cup matches, but Lucas Perri has started the last three games, notably saving a penalty crucially during the quarter-final shootout against Strasbourg's Thomas Delaine.

In terms of key French attackers, Mbappe, soon to join Real Madrid, was conspicuously absent from the squad against Metz. However, reports suggest he was merely rested as a precaution and is set for his final Ligue 1 appearance with PSG this weekend.

Several other notable players, such as Gianluigi Donnarumma, Fabian Ruiz, Vitinha, Ousmane Dembele, and Marquinhos, are expected to return to the squad. Unfortunately, Lucas Hernandez (ACL), Sergio Rico (head injury), and Presnel Kimpembe (Achilles) will not be available.

Mbappe won't be the only prominent figure leaving PSG next month; goalkeeper Keylor Navas has also announced his departure. However, he has been benched since the last-16 stage and is likely to have already played his final match for the Ligue 1 champions.