The magic of the cup offers an unexpected display, in the quarter-finals of the Coupe de France.
On Wednesday, Rouen welcomes Valenciennes, for a duel between two surprise teams, at this stage of the competition... And who will play in a full Robert-Diochon stadium, while the Federation's disciplinary committee has only imposed a closed session suspended at the Rouen club after the incidents against Monaco on February 8.
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Eighth in National (3rd level of French football), the Rouennais face a major challenge against a “big one”: the Valenciennes are playing at the higher level, in Ligue 2. A championship in which they are still dead last.
After taking out the defending champion, Toulouse, after an endless penalty shootout (3-3, 12-11 tab), Rouen did it again in the next round against Monaco, another Ligue 1 club, again on penalties (1-1, 6-5 tab).
Valenciennes, which has benefited from rather favorable draws until then, dismissed Paris FC in the round of 16 (2-1), then Saint-Priest in the next round (1-2).
While PSG, Rennes, Lyon and Nice are favorites in this edition, one of the two teams in this surprising quarter-final will be present in the last four.
The match between Rouen and Valenciennes is scheduled to kick off at 9 p.m. this Wednesday, February 28.
The meeting will be broadcast live on beIN Sports 1.