This Saturday, May 24 at the Stade de France, Paris Saint-Germain take on Reims in the final of the Coupe de France 2024-2025 (kick-off 9pm, CET). It’s a special encounter for Reims, who have finally reached the play-offs and will be playing for their place in Ligue 1 against Reims on Wednesday 21st and Thursday 29th. Coach Samba Diawara was very clear about the situation.
“For me, it (the final) takes second place. We’ve got a crucial match on Wednesday in Metz, and then we’ll see”, comments relayed by L’Equipe.
Sad words for a French Cup final, but entirely understandable. The priority is to stay in Ligue 1, given all the implications of going down. The final blow was a terrible one, with Le Havre scoring a last-minute penalty in Strasbourg to overtake Reims in the standings and secure their survival.
Logically, Diawara and his team are not preparing for the Coupe de France final today. Above all, they need to prepare for the trip to Metz on Wednesday (kick-off 8pm). We’re sure they’ll still be keen to win the final, but rotation is entirely possible. These are special conditions, and there may be a question mark over the timetable.
Some are calling for a postponement of the final, which is difficult to envisage for PSG, who will be playing in the Champions League on May 31. Then there are the international matches, followed by the Club World Cup. It’s worth pointing out, however, that the situation is very special, with a play-off place and a European finalist facing each other in the Coupe de France final.
