We’re entering the nitty-gritty of the Coupe de France as we approach the round of 32. The majority of clubs left in the competition will feel as if they’ve got a solid chance of going all the way but in cup football, you truly never know what’s around the next corner. Today, we’ll be taking a look at what should be a fun clash between Nantes and Stade Laval.
Nantes Form GuideIt came down to the wire, but Nantes just about managed to stay in Ligue One last season and avoid relegation - just a few weeks after they received a battering in the French Cup final. They have a few talented players at their disposal and they look a far better team this time around, but there’s always the risk of them losing confidence and going on a major skid again.
Nantes left it late after going 1-0 down to Pau away from home, but they made it work. They equalised early in the second half and then, with three goals in just eight minutes, they ran out 4-1 winners to give themselves a much needed injection of life.
Stade Laval Form GuideAs one of the high-flying clubs currently competing in Ligue 2, Stade Laval have been waiting for a stage like this to help prove what they’re capable of at the elite level. They’re one of the most exciting lower league teams to watch when it all clicks together and so long as they can maintain their focus, they should fancy their chances at springing an upset in this one.
In the seventh round, Stade Laval made sure they didn’t hang around for too long as they picked up a confident 5-0 win over Provin. They struggled against St-Philbert Gd Lieu and only came away with a 2-1 win, but when making the trip to Dieppe, they made no such mistake in a 4-0 triumph.
Match PredictionStade Laval are going to be up for this one against a Nantes side that aren’t always known for living up to the hype. The visitors need to get in their face and really try to make things physical, and although we expect them to do that, we’re still going to predict a narrow Nantes win.
