The big game in the Coupe de France’s round of 16 is at Parc des Princes, where Paris Saint-Germain faces Brest on Wednesday night.
This game pits two of Ligue 1’s top teams against each other for a quarter-final spot, with PSG leading the league and Brest in third place.
Match preview
Paris Saint-Germain got knocked out at this stage last year and aims to reclaim the Coupe de France after winning it the two seasons before.
They’ve started strong, beating Revel 9-0 and Orleans 4-1.
PSG has a great home record in this tournament, not losing at Parc des Princes since January 2014, with 15 wins and a draw.
They also have a great record against Brest, unbeaten in their last 27 games (W19 D8 L0) over nearly 40 years.
But, PSG knows they need to be at their best, especially after Brest’s recent comeback in their league match.
Meanwhile, Brest’s season has been remarkable, sitting in a Champions League spot halfway through the season and staying close to second-placed Nice.
They’ve gone 11 matches without a loss, beating Angers and Trelissac in this tournament.
Their defense has been key, allowing only 17 goals in 20 league games, tied with PSG and third-best overall.
After a slow start away, Brest is unbeaten in their last five away games (W4 D1 L0), scoring well.
Team News
Kylian Mbappe, possibly moving to Real Madrid soon, leads PSG’s attack with five goals in the tournament.
Injuries keep Presnel Kimpembe, Sergio Rico, Layvin Kurzawa, Alexandre Letellier, Nuno Mendes, and possibly Milan Skriniar out.
For Brest, Gregoire Coudert will likely start in goal, with Bilal Brahimi, Jeremy Le Douaron, and Jordan Amavi injured. Julien Le Cardinal could return to the starting lineup.
Paris Saint-Germain possible starting lineup:
Navas;
Soler, Marquinhos, Pereira, Hernandez;
Vitinha, Ruiz, Muani;
Asensio;
Ramos, Mbappe
Brest possible starting lineup:
Coudert;
Lala, Le Cardinal, Brassier, Locko;
Camara, Lees-Melou, Magnetti;
Del Castillo, Satriano, Lage
Prediction: Paris Saint-Germain 2-1 Brest
Brest’s recent performance gives them hope, but PSG’s strength at home is hard to beat. We expect a good game from Brest but see PSG moving to the next round.