In a city famous for its legendary car race, about 208 kilometers southwest of Paris, the atmosphere is buzzing like a beehive. For days now, as they prepare to welcome the champion. Thierry Gomez, the 62-year-old president of Le Mans, is the central figure in it all. He has led the club for nine years, while his father was once one of the talent scouts working with Sochaux for 20 years.⚽️ Jour de LE MANS 🆚 PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN en @coupedefrance ! #LMFCPSG I #CDF 🏆 pic.twitter.com/HxiqP02Zt6— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_inside) February 4, 2025 “Since he worked for Peugeot, he was responsible for scouting in the Paris region, which is how he helped discover Mikaël Silvestre, Roussey, Thierry Henry… He worked there until Jean-Claude Plessis arrived. I remember the dinners at home and how my father would tell me how important Sochaux was for us. Every time I go there, I think of him,” said Le Mans’ president.What a transfer window for Aston Villa! Three-time European champion arrives in BirminghamNow, it’s his job to ensure that Le Mans delivers the best possible performance in the Round of 16.”Not a day goes by without me talking about football at home. Ask my wife—she’s probably tired of it. The club’s staff have worked tirelessly over the past week to make this a true celebration of football and sports in general. Of course, there is a huge difference between us and Paris Saint-Germain. But you know, nothing is set in stone in football. I have no doubt that PSG has prepared to beat us, but we have also worked to beat them! Even though the odds are 1 in 10, we will play with full heart and effort” he said.🚨📊 Le point G/A de nos parisiens avant le match de Coupe de France face à Le Mans :🥇 Ousmane Dembélé : 19 ⚽️ | 5 🅰️🥈 Bradley Barcola : 14 ⚽️ | 7 🅰️🥉 Kang-In-Lee : 7 ⚽️ | 4 🅰️ pic.twitter.com/1HyRhz9hdr— Le Meilleur du PSG (@LMDPSG) February 3, 2025 To illustrate the gap between the two clubs, Gomez provided a striking comparison—not mathematically exact, but close enough.”A season at Paris Saint-Germain is equivalent to 200 years of Le Mans’ budget!“ Calculated more precisely, with Le Mans operating on an annual budget of just 5 million euros, while PSG’s yearly spending reaches an enormous 850 million, the actual figure is 170 years—but still an overwhelming contrast. Gomez’s influence isn’t just about trying to lead Le Mans into the second division; he is also pushing to professionalize the third tier and establish Ligue 3.Dembele’s ‘one-man show’ launches PSG past sturdy BrestReports from France suggest this goal is closer than ever, thanks in large part to Gomez as the driving force behind the initiative.”We are moving forward. We have a meeting scheduled for February 12, where various investors, shareholders, and decision-makers will be present. The road ahead is still long—we must not fool ourselves—but we are on the right path, not just for Le Mans and Sochaux, but for all of French football. When we started this two years ago, it was complicated. A few months ago, we nearly gave up! The fact that all the clubs are gradually coming together is pushing us forward. The entire football community has agreed that this would be a reasonable move. The argument about money was misleading; the real question is what French football will look like in ten years. And then, it will be up to us to find additional resources,” said the Le Mans president.LIVE BLOG Transfer market madness unfoldsAs for Paris Saint-Germain, who are well on their way to securing another Ligue 1 title, they also need to stay focused on the cup, where another trophy is within reach. Reports from PSG’s camp indicate that coach Luis Enrique might field a mixed lineup and rest some of the team’s star players. Ousmane Dembélé, Marquinhos, and Vitinha are expected to start on the bench. Just like in the match against Epinal, the defense could feature Zague, Tchapchet, and Hernandez, while Warren Zaïre-Emery and Ibrahim Embaye will miss out due to ankle injuries. João Neves is also sidelined with a foot injury. Meanwhile, Napoli signing Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is likely to make his Coupe de France debut.COUPE DE FRANCE – FRENCH CUPRound of 16Tuesday21:00: (1.35) Lille (4.50) Dunkerque (8.50)21:00: (3.60) Troyes (3.35) Brest (1.97)23:10: (16.0) Le Mans (8.00) PSG (1.12)Wednesday22:45: (7.25) Briochin (4.40) Nice (1.40)22:45: (1.65) Cannes (3.60) Sport Union Dives-Cabourg (5.10)22:45: (1.80) Strasbourg (3.45) Angers (4.20)22:45: (1.65) Toulouse (3.60) Guingamp (5.10)***odds are subject to change***
