The players of the Still-Mutzig Association, a Regional 1 club, will welcome those of Stade de Reims, residents of Ligue 1, on December 22 in the 32nd final of the French Cup. The meeting will take place at the Molsheim stadium.
In the premises of the Still-Mutzig Association, the announcement created euphoria. The club, 5th in Group B of Regional 1, will face a resident of Ligue 1, Stade de Reims, in the 32nd final of the Coupe de France.
“This is an important moment for the club, because it is two years old,” recalled Denis Hildenbrand, its president. “We have a great team, we have a huge group so we are happy and I think Reims must be careful.”
The meeting is scheduled for Sunday, December 22, at home, or almost. If some supporters and players hoped to be able to set foot on the pitch at Meinau, home of RC Strasbourg, the club's leaders made the decision to play at the Molsheim stadium, less than six kilometers from their usual stadium.
2,500 people can be accommodated there. All that is missing is the approval of the FFF to validate the decision.
“Make the most of it”
The players of the R1 club, small thumbs at this stage of the competition, will have a hard time facing the Rémois who are in the mid-table of the elite of French football. To achieve its goals, the club will be able to count on its captains including Thomas Schall, author of a hat-trick in the previous round against Jeunesse Évolution FC, a club based in Guadeloupe.
The attacker knows this type of confrontation. During the 2022-23 season, he started up front with FCO Strasbourg Koenigshoffen, when the Alsatian club, then in R1, eliminated Clermont (L1) on penalties in the 32nd final of the competition.
Before the meeting, the attacker spoke about the state of mind to adopt, speaking to BFM Alsace. “We must not get too excited, stay calm, concentrated. Stay as we are, humble people, who play football for pleasure. And above all make the most of it, it is not given to everyone to be in the 32nd final and play in Ligue 1”, recalls Thomas Schall.
The experience of Jacky Duguépéroux
To put this advice into practice, the players will be able to count on another man of experience: coach Jacky Duguépéroux, former coach of RC Strasbourg.
The club can also build on its recent good momentum with a series of three consecutive victories.
Before the match, the Still-Mutzig players will be able to observe the state of form of the Rémois, who remain on a victory in the last five matches, and who are traveling to Alsace at Meinau to face the Racing Club de Strasbourg, this Sunday, December 8.
