We’re into the quarter-final stages of the 2024 French Cup, and that means there are just eight teams left in the hunt for one of the biggest trophies in French domestic football. France’s cup competitions are known for throwing up upsets and surprises, and this year is likely to be no different
Fixture Details – Dates, Kick-off Time, and Venue
- Lyon vs Strasbourg: 20.45pm CET Tuesday, February 27 at Stade Groupama
- FC Rouen vs Valenciennes: Kick-off TBC Wednesday, February 28 at Stade Michel-d’Ornano
- Le Puy F.43 Auvergne vs Rennes: 20.45pm CET Thursday, February 29 at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard
- PSG vs Nice: Kick-off TBC Wednesday, March 13 at Parc des Princes
Recent Performances
Analyse the recent performances of the teams participating in the French Cup quarter-finals,
Lyon: Lyon endured a dreadful start to their season and now have new manager Pierre Sage in place. They have managed to claw themselves out of immediate relegation danger and have a revitalised Alexandre Lacazette up front. Losses to Le Havre and Rennes in the league in 2024 show they remain vulnerable.
Strasbourg: Strasbourg have suffered recent reverses against Lens and Paris Saint-Germain, and sit in mid-table. Chelsea’s sister team have held their own and could be too much for Lyon.
FC Rouen: Rouen are seventh in the National League and were winners on penalties against Monaco in their last-16 tie, but they have suffered league defeats to Nimes and Versailles in recent weeks.
Valenciennes: Valenciennes look doomed to relegation in Ligue 2, suffering recent defeats to Stade Laval and Concarneau, while their last-16 win at Saint-Priest was a rare morale boost.
Le Puy F.43 Auvergne: Le Puy are second in the CFA Group A and they sprung a surprise to reach the quarters by beating Stade Laval, but it only reflects their current excellent momentum.
Rennes: Rennes are in the hunt for a Europa League spot this season but a 3-0 defeat to Milan in their Champions League knockout tie against Milan demonstrates their lack of quality at the top end of football.
PSG: PSG had not suffered defeat since the turn of the year at the time of writing, and they kicked off their Champions League knockout campaign with a win over Real Sociedad. That leaves them on course for a treble, at least for now.
Nice: Nice suffered a home defeat to neighbours Monaco, but they are impressive in second spot in Ligue 1. A 4-1 win over Montpellier in the last-16 tie demonstrates their quality.
Key Players – Impactful Figures on the Pitch
Lyon: Captain Alexandre Lacazette has 12 goals already this season, equalising against Montpellier last weekend to inspire a 2-1 comeback win.
Strasbourg: Winger Angelo is on loan from Chelsea and the 21-year-old Brazilian offers an attacking threat going forward for the side.
FC Rouen: Congolese international Christopher Ibayi is their top scorer and he could be at the heart of any win, and at the end of last year he helped the side to an important win over Niort.
Valenciennes: Former Brighton and Fulham playmaker Anthony Knockaert may be in his 30s now, but he is still capable of pulling the strings from out wide, and he scored in Valenciennes’ recent Ligue 2 win over Bastia.
Le Puy F.43 Auvergne: Bryan Adinany is a dangerous forward for the minnows.
Rennes: Terem Moffi has just six goals for his side this season, but as the club’s top scorer he is vital to their chances, having last scored on December 20 with a brace against Lens.
PSG: Kylian Mbappe – 31 goals in 30 appearances so far, his goal against Real Sociedad put them on the path to victory in the Champions League.
Nice: Terem Moffi has just six goals for his side this season, but as the club’s top scorer he is vital to their chances, having last scored on December 20 with a brace against Lens.
Match Previews – Anticipating the Action
- Lyon vs Strasbourg: Largely impossible to predict with any confidence, two sides who have to focus on the cup for this year’s glory is going to be a battle of wills.
- FC Rouen vs Valenciennes: With Rouen in the better form, there is a chance to spring a cup upset on a side that has largely forgotten how to win,
- Le Puy F.43 Auvergne vs Rennes: Rennes are heavy favourites here given their decent league form and Le Puy’s minnow status.
- PSG vs Nice: A huge clash that is still several weeks away, PSG’s world class talent should give them the edge, but the demands of European football and the Mbappe saga could allow a more focused Nice side to claim the win.
Road to the Semi-Finals – Implications of the Results
The draw will be made later, with the winners not yet knowing their possible opponents.
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