Psg vs Reims

On Saturday evening at the Stade de France, Paris Saint-Germain will take on Reims in the Coupe de France final, determining the last piece of silverware in French football for the season.

The two teams have experienced contrasting fortunes this season. PSG are chasing a historic treble, while Reims are battling to secure their place in Ligue 1.

PSG have a chance to make history in the coming week, potentially becoming the first French club to win Ligue 1, the Coupe de France, and the Champions League in a single season. Under Luis Enrique’s leadership, PSG bounced back in their final two Ligue 1 matches, defeating Montpellier and Auxerre with a combined seven goals, recovering from the disappointment of missing an unbeaten league campaign. Enrique fielded a strong lineup against Auxerre, ensuring his squad is in peak form for the upcoming finals.

PSG are overwhelming favorites, given their domestic dominance over the past decade, particularly in the Coupe de France, where they reached seven consecutive finals from 2015 to 2021, winning six. After surprising round-of-16 exits in 2022 and 2023, Enrique led PSG to victory against Lyon in last year’s final. Despite their relatively short 54-year history, PSG have claimed this competition 15 times, and this could be one of their easiest triumphs yet, having faced mostly lower-tier teams since defeating Lens in the round of 64, including semi-pro Espaly, third-tier Le Mans, fourth-tier Stade Briochin, and Ligue 2’s Dunkerque in the semi-finals.

Reims, a club with a proud past, are striving to recapture the success of the 1950s and 1960s. With six Ligue 1 titles and two Coupe de France trophies, their legacy is significant, but recent years have been challenging. Manager Samba Diawara is focused on securing Ligue 1 survival rather than savoring this rare cup final appearance. Reims haven’t won a trophy since the 1961-62 Ligue 1 title, and their last Coupe de France victory was in 1958. This is their first final since 1977.

Reims’ journey to the final is unexpected, especially after being knocked out by lower-league teams in three of the last four seasons. Their cup run relied on penalty shootouts against Monaco, Bourgoin Jallieu, and Angers, followed by a narrow 2-1 semi-final win over fourth-tier Cannes, thanks to Teddy Teuma’s decisive goal. This run coincided with a 15-match winless streak in Ligue 1, contributing to their poor league position. Despite a brief resurgence with four wins in five games in March and April, Reims lost their final three matches, landing them in the relegation playoff against Metz. The first leg ended 1-1 on Wednesday, adding an unwanted distraction ahead of the final.