The final game of the weekend’s cup bonanza takes place at the Stade Velodrome on Sunday night when Olympique de Marseille take on fellow Ligue 1 residents Stade de Reims. Both these clubs have been tremendously successful in their respective eras; these two sides have a combined total of fifteen French titles between. Yet, neither side can claim any recent glory in the Coupe de France; OM last held the trophy aloft in 1989 and for Reims it’s even longer – 1957.
The club from the champagne region of France should have no fear of playing in Marseille seeing as they defeated them in the Velodrome 3-2 in the league in game 11, moreover OM have lost four times in the league on their own patch this season. Furthermore, Reims’ away record this season is impressive, they have only lost two out of ten away games in the league.
Reims do not have the stellar cast of players on paper that OM can boast; their summer recruitment drive was nothing like Marseille’s spending splurge. They recruited well, however, the Danish midfielder Mads Albaek particularly looking like a shrewd deal, while OM’s controversial signing of the summer, Florian Thauvin, has started to show why Marseille were so insistent on getting him.
Reims signed off before the winter-break with a stylish victory over Ajaccio, Gaeten Charbonnier scoring twice with two well-taken volleys, meanwhile OM fought back from two goals down to draw with Bordeaux. OM have not won in the league since beating Montpellier the end of November, and will want to bounce back into the league campaign.
Last season’s cup campaign ended in Paris for Marseille after a Zlatan-inspired defeat, however Reims were giant-killed by Breton club Plabennec. Marseille themselves are no strangers to recent giant-killings having lost to eventual finalist Quevilly in the 2012 quarter finals.
If we look at form in the first half of the season, this clash should be a well-matched and even game. Both sides sit on 29 points in Ligue 1. Reims will surely be more than open to a cup run given how close they are to securing top-division status for a third season in a row, whereas José Anigo’s men may look upon the cup as a way to salvage what has been a disappointing start much as they did 2 years ago when success in the Coupe de la Ligue papered over the cracks of a disastrous season where they finished tenth. Both sides can look upon the game as an opportunity, therefore, and one just feels Anigo needs Marseille to get into the winning habit, which may just start Sunday night.