Ancelotti set for French Cup bow with PSG

05 January 2012 12:47

He may be the best-paid coach in French football history, but Carlo Ancelotti will make his competitive bow with Paris Saint-Germain against humble fifth-tier side Saint-Colomban Locmine in the French Cup round of 64 on Sunday.

Confirmed as the successor to the sacked Antoine Kombouare last week, Ancelotti oversaw his first game as PSG coach in a 1-0 loss to his former club AC Milan in a mid-season friendly in Dubai on Wednesday.

As Locmine's tiny Pigeon Blanc stadium can only accommodate 450 spectators, Sunday's game will take place at Stade du Moustoir, the home of PSG's Ligue 1 rivals Lorient.

"For the first time in our history that we're taking on a Ligue 1 club, we've hit the jackpot," said Locmine coach Didier Noblet, whose club have never gone beyond this stage of the competition.

"We were all dreaming about it. Now, the dream is to beat them."

Valenciennes are the first Ligue 1 side in action at the weekend, as they visit second-tier Le Mans on Friday evening.

Only two of the last-64 ties feature two sides from the top flight, with Saint-Etienne hosting Bordeaux and Nancy visiting Rennes on Saturday.

One of the most eagerly awaited matches pits Paris-based National (third-tier) outfit Red Star against Ligue 1 giants Marseille.

Due to the interest in the match, it will take place at Stade de France in Saint-Denis and a crowd of 35,000 is expected to attend.

Cup holders Lille begin their defence of the trophy on Saturday when they tackle sixth division minnows Chantilly.

Fixtures

Friday:

Rennes TA v Quevilly (1900GMT), Le Mans v Valenciennes (1930GMT)

Saturday (1945GMT unless otherwise stated):

Versailles v Dijon (1300GMT), Limoges v Boulogne (1400GMT), Marck v Nice (1530GMT), Chambly Thelle v Auxerre (1600GMT), Bourg-Peronnas v Montceau (1600GMT), Sable-sur-Sarthe v Sedan (1700GMT), Niort v Brest (1700GMT), Le Havre v Lorient (1700GMT), Compiegne v La Montagnarde (1700GMT), Vitre v Tours (1700GMT), Lucon v Avranches (1700GMT), Orleans v Clermont (1800GMT), Cherbourg v Chateauroux (1830GMT), Valence v Laval (1900GMT), Frejus/Saint-Raphael v Ajaccio (1900GMT), Chantilly v Lille, Saint-Etienne v Bordeaux, Bastia v Sochaux, Red Star v Marseille, Caen v Troyes, Rennes v Nancy

Sunday (1400GMT unless otherwise stated):

Thiers v Istres (1300GMT), Drancy v Strasbourg (1330GMT), Ajaccio GFCO v Toulouse, Lyon-la-Duchere v Lyon, Metz v Evian, Mulhouse v Creteil, Locmine v Paris Saint-Germain (1630GMT), Prix-les-Mezieres v Montpellier (1930GMT)

Monday (1945GMT):

Angers v Monaco

Source: AFP