There is no question about it: 2013 has been a bad year for both Rennes and Valenciennes, and one statistic gives you a pretty clear idea of the situation; of the seventeen teams involved in Ligue 1 during the whole of 2013, only Ajaccio (30 points) has a track record worse than those of Rennes (35) and Valenciennes (33).
With both teams also already out of the Coupe de la Ligue (Rennes lost to Bordeaux in the last 16, Valenciennes beaten by Troyes a round earlier), the Coupe de France seems to be a last chance saloon for both teams in a season they would already like to forget.
After a rather unexpected success in Monaco – only their third win of the season – Valenciennes finished 2013 on a high however, and VAFC will hope for more performances of the same calibre. Manager Ariel Jacobs, who was appointed to replace Daniel Sanchez back in October, will hope his team starts 2014 on the same dynamic, and a cup success on the road against another Ligue 1 side would certainly be a boost for the players’ morale before their long fight for Ligue 1 survival. Despite the lack of outstanding individuals, Valenciennes present a solid squad of experienced players, and they undoubtedly have the men to take on the struggle for recovery.
Rennes, on the other hand, are currently on a four-defeat run and looking weaker every week-end. Manager Philippe Montanier closed the first half of the season with a really alarming statement about his squad, regretting the lack of commitment of certain key players and reminding people that Rennes could well be fighting for their top flight survival at the end of the season. The manager and the supporters at the Stade de la Route de Lorient expect a reaction, and nothing less than a convincing victory would bring them satisfaction
In a contest between two sides unable to find any sort of tactical balance or playing style, struggling for goals and looking mentally broken after a nightmarish twelve months, do not expect a spectacular display. Football isn’t an exact science naturally, and I hope to be terribly wrong, but I invite you to brace yourself for a tense, uninspiring display of all-defence football, as both teams will be very aware that the Coupe de France could well be their last chance to salvage anything from this season.