The context: FC Annecy does not want to miss
After the stress-free qualification in Vesoul (R1, 6-1), FC Annecy moves upmarket with a shorter but tougher trip to Jura Sud, on the dreaded synthetic pitch of Molinges. “For some of our players, it’s a problem (playing on synthetic) even if in the previous round it gave us an advantage,” recalls Annecy coach Laurent Guyot. But that’s not why I’m going to run it more widely. We will have to find a happy medium. » A year ago, the Coupe de France ended at this stage for the FCA during a failed match in Thionville (N3, 2-1). Guyot doesn’t really want a new ball after the very good draw obtained at PFC (0-0) in the championship. “It’s up to us to be serious, to take the match properly, to adapt to the playing conditions and to qualify,” he warns. The Haut-Savoyards are playing two divisions higher and will have to prove it: “The coach asked us to continue the dynamic of Paris FC and to apply the same intensity. We don’t want to come face to face with someone smaller. We have to keep the same motivation,” assures winger Karim Cissé.
The opponent: Jura Sud as a regular
During the last two seasons, Jura Sud, which played in the same National 2 championship as the FCA for four years (2016-2020), enjoyed some nice journeys in the Coupe de France with an elimination against Ajaccio (L2 , 2-1) in the round of 32 in 2023 and against Saint-Etienne in 2022 in the round of 16 (4-1). “We expect a strong opposition. It is a solid team with well-identified playing principles. In the Coupe de France, on commitment and investment, we know that we will have an opponent at least 100% if not more,” warns Guyot. In the championship, after having been leader for a few weeks, Valentin Guichard’s men, who eliminated Valdahon (R1, 4-0) in the 7th round, are currently sixth in group A of N2.
The fact: Lamine Sonko, from the FCA in Jura
The Annecy residents should not face them with striker Lamine Sonko who was on trial for several weeks this fall, before being routed to Jura Sud (N2). “It’s a club with which we have excellent relations, particularly Jean-Philippe Nallet (Editor’s note: sports director). We didn’t take it because we still have a big budgetary question mark over what we can or can’t do. On a small envelope, taking a small part already, that represented something,” explains Guyot. For administrative reasons, Sonko is not yet qualified and has not been able to make his debut with the Jura team.
The man to follow: Karim Cissé
Starting only once this season, precisely in the Coupe de France in Vesoul, winger Karim Cissé, on loan from Saint-Etienne, should have the opportunity to take some playing time this Saturday. “I wasn’t decisive enough in Vesoul. I work on this in training. I will try to put all the chances on my side in this match,” he explains. Operated for pubalgia last spring and arriving on the last day of the transfer window, Cissé needed time to regain all his skills. The Coupe de France is an opportunity to show them off.
The sentence: “It’s still not a find”
Laurent Guyot, on the subject of the 32nd finals of the Coupe de France scheduled for December 21 and 22: “There are calendar issues that I don’t know about but it’s still not a discovery. I hope there is a good reason. This is not to encourage the best teams to field their best players on such a date because the problem is that we are playing again on January 3 in the championship (in Ajaccio) so we cannot make a cut if we are qualified. We’ll get one if we’re eliminated. But whatever happens, we have scheduled the same number of rest days, whether we are eliminated or not. They will simply be dispatched differently, twice in the event of qualification. »
The workforce: Larose and Billemaz in the infirmary
FC Annecy (L2) will be deprived of many players since attacking midfielders Clément Billemaz (sprained ankle) and Antoine Larose (ankle injury at Paris FC), FCA’s most decisive player (3 goals, 2 assists) this season, have added to the list of items already packaged. Indeed, Guyot already had to deal without central defender Hamjatou Soukouna (suspended), right back François Lajugie (hoped before the end of the year), central defender Ritchy Valme (hoped against Clermont during the next day of L2 ) and attacking midfielder Ibrahima Raache, all in the recovery phase, as well as attacking midfielder Josué Tiendrébéogo (concussion protocol). Already present in the 7th round and starting in Vesoul (R1, 6-1), young defender Esteban Riou should return to the group.
Senegal
