Mbappé’s last with Paris, Lyon in search of a first title since 2012… What you need to know about the OL-PSG final

A third trophy for the Parisians or a grand finale for the Lyonnais? The Coupe de France final on Saturday concludes the season.

The last trophy of the season will be awarded at the Pierre-Mauroy stadium in Lille, Saturday May 25. Will Kylian Mbappé end his Parisian adventure with a third success in the final? Or will OL crown their fantastic second half of the season with a first-place finish on their record for twelve years? Franceinfo: sport looks back at the three things to know around the Coupe de France final (9 p.m., to follow on France 2 or france.tv).

Kylian Mbappé’s last with PSG

Some will say that “the legend” of the Parisian club did not prepare his last appearance in the PSG jersey with the greatest professionalism, spending Monday evening in a restaurant in the capital, surrounded by partners and employees of the club that he will soon leave, five days before the final meeting of the season.

Everything will be forgotten if he lifts one last trophy. This is already what we heard before the Champions League semi-final, lost against Borussia Dortmund. This would be his fourth victory in the Coupe de France. Above all, it would be a question of concluding its Parisian story, seven seasons long, on a positive note.

His coach, Luis Enrique, did not take him to Metz for the last day of the championship, Sunday May 19. He had not replaced him against Toulouse, a week earlier, for his final match at the Parc des Princes, when a majority of the public would surely have taken the opportunity to cheer him one last time.

After twelve years of drought, OL are aiming for a new trophy

Olympique Lyonnais reached the final of the Coupe de France for the ninth time since 1963. With a success, the Rhone club would add its name to the winners of the event for the sixth time. His last victory dates back to 2012, against Quevilly (1-0). The coach then was Rémi Garde.

It would, at the same time, be the first line on the men’s team’s track record since Jean-Michel Aulas handed over the presidency to the American John Textor, in December 2022. And the crowning of a phenomenal second half of the season under the direction of Pierre Sage.

Last in the championship on the evening of the 15th day, December 10, the Lyon team made an unexpected climb to 6th place and direct qualification for the Europa League. So much so that the Lyonnais no longer have the obligation to beat PSG to return to Europe next season. Does this risk reducing their motivation?

The first final outside Île-de-France

This could be a trick question in a quiz: how many stadiums have hosted the Coupe de France final since its first edition in 1915? The answer: seven. All are in Paris or the Paris region. The Stade de France being reserved for the events of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, it is the Decathlon Arena Pierre-Mauroy stadium, in Villeneuve-d’Ascq (North), that the French Football Federation chose to host the 106th final . The eighth venue to host the event is therefore the first located outside Île-de-France.