Summary

  • No third division side have ever won French Cup

  • Les Herbiers have come through nine rounds

  • PSG have now not lost in 42 domestic cup games

  1. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 20:12 British Summer Time 8 May 2018

    #bbceurofooty or text 81111

    Streameroffooty: I'm expecting a win from PSG, we all are... but I think that it will only be a 1-0 or 2-0 because I have realised that in a big game, even when it is a good team versus a lower league team, it is quite cagey.

  2. KICK-OFFpublished at 1 min

    Les Herbiers 0-0 PSG

    Here we go on a pretty surreal game at the Stade de France.

  3. Postpublished at 20:08 British Summer Time 8 May 2018

    Better ring my wife to cancel our dinner plans. The French president still making small talk to third division footballers.

  4. Postpublished at 20:06 British Summer Time 8 May 2018

    Emmanuel Macron is still talking to players. This has been going on for ages. He's done PSG, onto Les Herbiers now. Presumably he doesn't recognise any of them...

    Kick-off is delayed.

  5. Expensive cheerleaderspublished at 20:04 British Summer Time 8 May 2018

    Injured Neymar and Marco Verratti are at the game, having a great time - probably reading this live text on Neymar's BBC Sport app.

    NeymarImage source, Getty Images
  6. Postpublished at 20:03 British Summer Time 8 May 2018

    Les Herbiers v PSG (20:05 BST)

    French president Emmanuel Macron comes on the pitch to meet everyone. He's spending a bit too long chatting, mate we kick off in two minutes.

  7. Postpublished at 20:01 British Summer Time 8 May 2018

    Les Herbiers are the fifth team from the third or fourth divisions to reach the final - but Nimes (1996), Calais (2000), Amiens (2001) and Quevilly (2012) all lost.

    Two non-top flight clubs have won the cup - both Ligue 2 sides. Guingamp were the most recent to do it, back in 2009.

  8. 'We prepared this game like every other game'published at 20:00 British Summer Time 8 May 2018

    Paris St-Germain players trainImage source, Getty Images

    PSG boss Unai Emery is leaving the club at the end of the season.

    He is confident his players won't underestimate their opponents.

    "We prepared this game like every other game. We analysed our opponents, some serious training.

    "The players are very professional and they know it's not a game like any other, it's a final. All the players are very motivated."

    PSG are the most successful team in French Cup history, with 11 trophies - including the last three.

  9. Postpublished at 20:00 British Summer Time 8 May 2018

    National anthem done, handshakes under way. Not too long to go.

  10. 'Could not be a more extreme final'published at 19:59 British Summer Time 8 May 2018

    Julien Laurens
    French football expert

    Les HerbiersImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Les Herbiers have set up a mini-Eiffel Tower outside their ground

    The reaction to Les Herbiers reaching the final has been fantastic. We have a history in France of small teams from lower leagues doing well in the cup so people almost expect a fairytale story every year. And so they always react well to it. The French love a David vs Goliath game. So it is a huge deal.

    It could not be a more extreme final than this one considering the budget of PSG and the one of Les Herbiers.

    They are fighting not to go down to the fourth division as their league form, surely impacted by their cup one, has not been good enough this season.

    They have not faced a Ligue 1 team this season in the competition but they have in the past. They won’t be fazed though and have nothing to lose.

    The whole country will be behind the minnows, that’s for sure.

  11. Les Herbiers' relegation worriespublished at 19:57 British Summer Time 8 May 2018

    Les Herbiers v PSG (20:05 BST)

    Les HerbiersImage source, Getty Images

    Les Herbiers only moved out of the Championnat National relegation zone on Friday as they came from 2-0 down in the 59th minute to beat Laval 3-2.

    That game was watched by 3,326 fans at the Stade Massabielle - over twice their average attendance of 1,500.

    They could still be relegated if they do not beat Beziers this Friday on the final day, although - in a strange twist - eight teams are fighting to avoid the one relegation place left to be decided.

    The nine games Les Herbiers have won all season in the league is the same amount of cup games they have won (including penalties).

    In contrast, domestic treble-chasing PSG won the French title over three weeks ago with a 7-1 rout of nearest challengers Monaco - and are looking to compete the domestic double.

  12. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 19:56 British Summer Time 8 May 2018

    #bbceurofooty or text 81111

    AshbyCut in Warwickshire: Got to love an underdog!!! ALLEZ LES HERBIERS!!!!!

    Please let us know your name and location if you text in.

  13. 'Where am I going to stand?'published at 19:55 British Summer Time 8 May 2018

    Stephane MasalaImage source, Getty Images

    Les Herbiers coach Stephane Masala has only been in charge since January - this is his first managerial role.

    "In this final we are going to see football with a big F, talent, and players who are among the best in the world with PSG, and amateurs with a lot of courage and solidarity on the other side of the pitch," said the 41-year-old, who was previously the club's assistant.

    "The first thing I thought when I entered the [Stade de France] dressing room was that it was too big. It lacked a bit of intimacy with the players. I thought 'it's not possible, where am I gonna stand?'."

  14. Postpublished at 19:52 British Summer Time 8 May 2018

    Not sure who all these people watching the game on a big TV screen in Les Herbiers are - since they sold enough tickets for the game for everybody who lives there...

    Les HerbiersImage source, Getty Images
  15. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 19:49 British Summer Time 8 May 2018

    #bbceurofooty or text 81111

    Andrew: Loving possibly the greatest first name in football history? Bongongui Assougou

    Les Herbiers' number 11 Rodrigue Bongongui, also known as Louis Bongongui, has bagged six goals in their cup run. His full name is Louis Marie Rodrigue Bongongui Assougou

  16. Team newspublished at 19:45 British Summer Time 8 May 2018

    Les Herbiers v PSG (20:05 BST)

    Les Herbiers make three changes from their 3-2 Championnat National win over Laval on Friday.

    Kevin Rocheteau, their joint top scorer in this cup run with six goals, and midfielders Valentin Vanbaleghem and Pierre Germann come into the starting line-up. Semi-final goalscorers Florian David and Ambroise Gboho are both among the subs.

    PSG put out a slightly weakened side against Amiens in their last game, a 2-2 draw, so there are six changes today as they go full strength. Captain Thiago Silva, striker Kylian Mbappe and goalkeeper Kevin Trapp come into the team to join Angel di Maria and Edinson Cavani.

    Les Herbiers v PSGImage source, .
  17. Les Herbiers' run to the finalpublished at 19:42 British Summer Time 8 May 2018

    Les HerbiersImage source, Getty Images

    Championnat National side Les Herbiers have had to come through nine rounds to reach this stage - although this is the first time they face a top-flight club.

    Their run started on 8 November in front of 217 fans as they beat Coulaines 4-1 in round five. They needed extra time to beat Chateaubriant next in the final preliminary round.

    They beat Balma comfortably, but needed two goals in the final seven minutes to come from 1-0 down to beat Romorantin in round eight in December.

    They beat Angouleme in extra time before knocking out Saint-Lo Manche. They then beat two Ligue 2 sides - Auxerre (3-0) and Lens (on penalties) to reach the last four.

    In a quirk, they faced third division rivals Chambly in the semi-final - which had to be moved to Nantes (as they did for the Lens game) as Les Herbiers' ground only holds 5,000. Almost 35,000 fans watched their 2-0 win to reach the final.

  18. Postpublished at 19:39 British Summer Time 8 May 2018

    Les Herbiers v PSG (20:05 BST)

    Is this one of the few occasions a half-and-half scarf is fair enough?

    Half and half scarfImage source, Getty Images
  19. Can last one out of Les Herbiers turn the lights off?published at 19:37 British Summer Time 8 May 2018

    Les Herbiers v PSG (20:05 BST)

    Les HerbiersImage source, Getty Images

    Les Herbiers, a commune of about 15,000 fans have sold enough tickets for nearly their entire population tonight. I hope everyone has put their house alarms on tonight.

  20. How do the numbers compare?published at 19:35 British Summer Time 8 May 2018

    Les Herbiers v PSG (20:05 BST)

    PSG v Les HerbiersImage source, .

    Les Herbiers' entire annual budget of 2m euros (£1.77m) would pay the wages of PSG's injured striker Neymar for 16 days.

    They are only in their third ever season as high as the third tier and they could still be relegated with one game left - which would put them in the same league as Paris St-Germain's reserve team.

    Their opponents tonight, PSG - who have already won Ligue 1 - have succeeded in 41 consecutive domestic cup games since 22 January 2014.

    They are bidding to win both the French Cup and League Cup for the fourth season in a row.