Thursday, 7 February 2019

Coupe de France, round of 16

Stade du Roudourou, Guingamp

 EA Guingamp - Olympique Lyonnais  - Kick-off at 21:00 CET

With just three wins to their names this season, Ligue 1 Conforama's bottom club Guingamp are doing it extremely tough. However, their pedigree as a cup side has been in full evidence: Jocelyn Gourvennec's side beat PSG and Monaco to reach the final of the Coupe de la Ligue BKT, where they face Strasbourg in Lille on 30 March.

On top of that, they are through to the round of 16 in their competition of choice - the Coupe de France, in which they lifted the trophy in 2009 and 2014 - but they face a stiff test to reach the quarters with Olympique Lyonnais standing in their way.

Gouvennec: 'Formidable'

Guingamp became the first French side to beat the PSG juggernaut this season when they triumphed 2-1 over the capital in the Coupe de la Ligue BKT quarters - thanks to top scorer Marcus Thuram's late spot-kick - but Lyon just became the first side to it in the league, by the same scoreline on Sunday evening, and Gourvennec knows that his side face a tough test.

"OL are a formidable side, who pulled off a huge coup last weekend," said the Guingamp boss, who will be without suspended stopper Papy Djilobodji and injured forward Yeni Ngbakoto. "Along with Paris, they're the best team in the league. But if we can manage to give a good account of ourselves, it will be great for how our season plays out. And if fate smiles on us, we will be through to the quarter-finals."

Genasio: 'Some changes'

Meanwhile OL boss bruno Genesio is also proving wary, despite - or rather because of- the win over PSG.

"We're a side who can rise to the occasion, but also slump heavily. Last year, after we beat Paris, everyone thought we could challenge them for the title. After that, we took two points from a possible 18," he admitted. "I will make some changes for Guingamp. Not a lot, but some - as a function of form or fatigue, as we spent a lot of energy on Sunday night." 

Lucas Tousart, Maxwell Cornet and Martin Terrier should all come into the starting line-up, while captain Nabil Fekir will once again pull the strings in a playmaking role behind lone striker Memphis Depay.

Probable teams

EA Guingamp: Johnsson; Che. Traoré, Kerbrat (c), Eboa Eboa, Rebocho; Coco, Phiri, Blas, M. Thuram; Rodelin. A. Mendy