EVERY year debates rage over whether the FA Cup can ever regain its “magic”.
But over in France, their domestic competition is going from strength-to-strength.
Upon first inspection, you might wonder what the big deal is: after all, Paris Saint-Germain have won it 15 times, Marseille on 10 occasions.
But look a little closer, and you’ll see a competition that consistently delivers drama, upsets and “magic”, every single season.
This season’s quarter-finals feature just four teams from Ligue 1, with some of the top-flight’s biggest clubs having been humbled along the way.
And with fourth-tier Cannes hosting Ligue 2 Guingamp, at least one team from outside the top flight is guaranteed to reach the semi-finals.
Lyon were astonishingly beaten on penalties by fifth-tier Bourgoin-Jallieu, who hail from a town of just 28,000 people barely 20 miles away.
And the minnows very nearly backed up their incredible win, only falling to top-flight Reims on penalties in the last round.
Lille, who have defeated Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Juventus on the way to the Champions League round of 16, were also defeated via spot kicks by second-tier Dunkerque – despite stars such as Jonathan David being in action.
Montpellier, Ligue 1 champions in 2012, finished their Coupe de France campaign in disgrace this season.
Already bottom of the table, they received no respite in the Coupe as they were astonishingly trounced 4-0 by fourth-tier Le Puy Foot 43 Auvergne.
During the match, experienced captain Teji Savanier was asked “Last in Ligue 1 – does that hurt?” – to which he brashly replied: “When you’re being paid €210,000 (£175k) a month, no.”
Sir Jim Ratcliffe‘s Nice, meanwhile, were beaten 2-1 by fourth-tier Stade Briochin courtesy of Hugo Boudin’s late double.
Their reward? The opportunity to face Ligue 1 champions PSG in the quarter-finals.
Such has been the interest in the fixture, set to take place tomorrow, that the match has been moved from Stade Briochin’s charming Stade Fred-Aubert home to Rennes’ Roazhon Park.
Luis Enrique‘s star-studded side will of course be huge favourites, but their lowly opponents will relish the opportunity to test themselves against one of Europe’s most in-form teams.
Part of what sets the Coupe de France apart is its format.
Ditching two-legged ties in 1999, the competition now automatically makes the underdog in each game the home side, provided that they are two divisions or more below their opponents.
Third-tier US Quevilly subsequently reached the final in 2012, while Les Herbiers from the same level finished as runners-up in 2018.
Coupe de France fixtures
Quarter-Finals
Angers vs Reims
Cannes vs Guingamp
Brest vs Dunkerque
Stade Briochin vs Paris Saint-Germain
In 2020, the Coupe de France also scrapped extra time, meaning underdogs just have to last 90 minutes before reaching the lottery of penalties.
With the Coupe de la Ligue having also been axed that year, the competition also has maximum prestige as France’s only domestic tournament.
Another fun wrinkle of the competition is that it allows clubs from semi-autonomous French regions around the world to participate.
Earlier this season, AS Venus made the 30-hour trip from Tahiti to face fourth-tier ASM Belfort in round seven.
While last season, Golden Lion made the 8,000 mile round trip from Martinique to face the stars of Lille, although the ruthless Ligue 1 side played their full-strength side and won 12-0.
It may well be that PSG go on to beat Stade Briochin before marching to a 16th Coupe de France triumph.
But that wouldn’t change the fact that this season’s competition has been full of shocks, upsets and incredible stories.
And perhaps it still has another fairytale or two left to tell.
