On the one side, Paris Saint-Germain, currently the undisputed rulers of French football. On the other, the minnows from the country’s fourth flight, Stade Briochin. For the former, it’s just another game in their busy schedule where the Ligue 1, Coupe de France and Champions League matches often intertwine. For the latter, it’s the greatest game in their lives.The Saints have practically secured another Ligue 1 title and are close to winning the double. Yet, the challenge in the French Cup quarter-finals is everything but expected, as Stade Briochin knocked out several teams from higher leagues in the hierarchy of French football – Le Havre (Ligue 1), Annecy (Ligue 2), and Nice (Ligue 1). After what they’ve been through, they are not afraid of anyone and have nothing to lose.🏆 𝐉𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐃𝐄 𝐐𝐔𝐀𝐑𝐓 𝐃𝐄 𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐋𝐄 ⚽️ @StadeBriochin (N2) 🆚 @PSG_inside (L1)🏟️ Roazhon Park⏰ 21h10📺 beIN SPORTS 1 & France 3Le Petit Poucet @intermarche peut-il créer l’exploit dans ce choc des extrêmes ? 🔮#SBPSG #CoupeDeFrance pic.twitter.com/VJbzzYndPB— Coupe de France (@coupedefrance) February 26, 2025 Speaking to BBC Sport, the minnows’ chairman and manager Guillaume Allanou remembered the feeling when his boys eliminated mighty Nice.”My first thought at this moment when all the fans were on the pitch was to search for my players. I wanted to be with my staff and my players just together to celebrate this great moment. It was unbelievable. It was like we were not in our bodies. It was crazy, emotional. It’s difficult to explain in words,” recalled the strategist.’You are a tyrant’! ‘Stop talking you are a cowboy’For him, the Parisians are the biggest possible challenge, but everyone has the right to dream.”These clubs have made a great story in the Coupe de France but if we can beat Paris St-Germain, it will be the biggest upset in the history of French football. Nobody can beat PSG in France, or even in Europe. So imagine if Stade Briochin did this? I can’t dream of that – if it happens, it will be amazing,” said the Frenchman.Given that this is the greatest match in the club’s history, Stade Briochin won’t await PSG at their Stade Fred-Aubert (with a capacity of 11,000 seats) but in a nearby Rennes, at Roazhon Park, where approximately 30,000 people can attend the game.Brest crumble in PSG’s hands”We wanted to do a big match with a lot of people because we want this to be a big party for us. It’s a great atmosphere in the town. For all of my players it will be the match of their life. The difficulty for me as a coach is to make sure they are not scared to play in front of all these people against these big players. I just want them to live in the moment and play like I know that they can play,” Allanou stated.The 48-year-old did not spare nice words for his colleague from the opposite bench, Luis Enrique.”It is a big mountain for us. PSG is maybe the best team in the world right now. Luis Enrique has done a very good job with this team. I have so much admiration for him because PSG has a real identity of play. I love the football that he wants to play and also he has said that the team is more important than any [individual] player. I admire his work and I will say this to him, of course,” he said.He is a perfect for PSG, as Mbappe wasFinally, the gaffer highlighted Stade Briochin captain James Le Marer – the club’s child and legend.”James has a particular story with the club like me. He’s been here since 13 years old and he will stop his career at the end of this season. It’s the biggest match of his life and I’m happy that he can live this with me and with all the other players. The feeling is to appreciate this moment because I know that after the match the spotlight will probably be turned off,” Allanou concluded.COUPE DE FRANCE – QUARTER-FINALTuesday Angers – Reims 3-5 on pen (1-1)/Dieng 90+5 – Nakamura 79/Cannes – Guingamp 3-1 (2-0)/Abbas 23, Goncalves 30, Domingues 69 – Siwe 46/Wednesday 21.00: (1.50) Brest (3.90) Dunkerque (6.25)23.10: (18.0) Briochin (8.50) PSG (1.10)***odds are subject to change***
