Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Coupe de France, last 16

 Marseille - Bourg-Péronnas  (CFA, D4) (Kick-off at 17:00 CET)

With a league outing against Valenciennes and a Champions League clash with Inter looming in the next week, OM boss Didier Deschamps would doubtless prefer to make short work of fourth-division side Bourg-Péronnas in their postponed Coupe de France last-16 clash, but he knows that taking the amateur side lightly could leave him with egg on his face.

"They haven't got to this stage of the competition by accident," said Deschamps of the side from the Rhône valley near Lyon, who beat Ligue 1 side Ajaccio 3-2 (a.e.t.) to reach the last 16. "They're a strong CFA side who are playing for promotion in a league that houses several top-flight reserve side, like Lyon, Metz and Sochaux. They haven't lost a match since mid-September; they're a quality mix of youth and experience."   

Froment: 'The match of a lifetime'

Due to icy conditions, the match has been postponed once and the venue changed from Saint-Etienne's Stade Geoffroy-Guichard - switching the home-ground advantage Marseille's way - but the runaround has done nothing to dampen Bourg-Péronnas spirits.

"We'll try to create history by winning in Marseille," said Bourg-Péronnas' former OM youth academy midfielder Claude Froment. "We're a tight-knit group with a strong defence. This is the match of a lifetime for us."

With his side not having played for ten days now, Deschamps has a full-strength squad to choose from but is set to rest 'keeper Steve Mandanda and forward André Ayew, who should be replaced by France international Mathieu Valbuena.

Probable teams:

Marseille: Bracigliano; Azpilicueta, Diawara, Nkoulou, Morel; Kaboré, Diarra, Cheyrou (c); Amalfitano, Valbuena, Rémy

Bourg-Péronnas: Callamand; Joassy, Perradin, Goyon, Benmeloucka; Biaye, Bailly (c); Abou Derra, Definod, Barbet; Tavares

 Dijon - Paris Saint-Germain  (Kick-off at 19:00 CET)

PSG will be out for revenge as they travel to Dijon in their postponed last-16 clash on Wednesday. The Burgundy side knocked the capital club out of the Coupe de la Ligue back in October 2011 and with PSG's Qatari owners making it clear that silverware must come in this season, Carlo Ancelotti's side have little choice but to get the result.

However, with a Ligue 1 summit clash against Montpellier looming on Sunday, Ancelotti has opted to rotate his squad for the trip to Dijon, giving Nicolas Douchez a rare start in goal and Guillaume Hoarau the lone striker's role ahead of Kévin Gameiro.

Kakuta set to start

So too Dijon's Patrice Carteron has opted to rest some key players ahead of their clash with Nice at the weekend, but should hand a start to prodigy Gaël Kakuta, on loan from Chelsea, who has scored twice in just three appearances since arriving in January.

The former Lens youth academy forward scored on his debut in Dijon's 2-1 round-of-32 Coupe de France win over Istres before securing a point against Brest with his maiden Ligue 1 strike at the weekend, and should line up alongside club top-scorer Brice Jovial in the home attack.

Probable teams:

Dijon: Tchagouni; Bamba, Zarour (c), Diallo, Paulle; Marcq, Kumordzi; K. Koné, Kakuta, Bauthéac; Jovial

Paris Saint-Germain: Douchez; Bisevac (or Ceara), Z. Camara, M. Sakho (c), Maxwell; Jallet, Matuidi, Thiago Motta (or Chantôme); Ménez, Nene; Hoarau

>> Kakuta ready to seize chance

>> Coupe de France fixtures/results