For the first time in over 45 years, Monaco will visit Stade Auguste-Delaune for a Coupe de France fixture against Reims with a spot in the round of 16 at stake on Tuesday.
In their opening match of the competition, the Champagne club ousted Still-Mutzig 3-1, while Les Monegasques were 4-1 winners over L'Union Saint-Jean.
Match preview
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A strong final 30 minutes at Parc des Sports last month enabled Stade de Reims to advance into the next stage of this tournament for a fourth successive campaign.
With a victory on Tuesday, Les rouges et blancs can claim a place in the last 16 for a third time in their previous four Coupe de France events.
It has been a difficult start to 2025 for them, losing their only two Ligue 1 encounters this year, conceding seven goals over that stretch.
That is a big change from what Luka Elsner's side showed at the end of 2024, conceding just once in their final three competitive contests of the year.
They will enter this encounter on a five-match winless run at Stade Auguste Delaune, failing to find the back of the net in their previous two games played in Reims.
Stade de Reims won their only previous Coupe de France home contest against the Principality club, coming away with a 2-0 victory in 1977, winning that round of 16 tie 6-2 on aggregate.
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Les Monegasques had no trouble with their amateur opponents in December, registering 12 targeted efforts in their opening match of this tournament.
That match was one of the few bright spots for this club recently, with that triumph being the only one in their previous six matches across all competitions.
Monaco have not been eliminated at this stage of a Coupe de France event since Metz claimed a 3-1 triumph against them in 2019.
Adi Hutter's men have lost just one of their previous four competitive fixtures as the visiting team, and it came in the final of the Trophee des Champions in Qatar versus Paris Saint-Germain (1-0).
They have not lost an away contest at the Coupe de France in normal time since the 2017 semi-finals when PSG claimed a 5-0 triumph against them at the Parc des Princes.
The Principality club are unbeaten in their last six visits to Stade Auguste-Delaune versus Reims, winning the previous Coupe de France meeting against them in 2020 (2-1).
Team News
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A cruciate ligament injury will keep Reda Khadra out of the Reims lineup for a few more months, while Abdoul Kone and Amadou Kone are questionable due to hamstring strains.
It has been a busy transfer window for them as they sold Emmanuel Agbadou to Wolves, while Thibault De Smet is joining Ligue 2 club Paris FC and they have submitted a bid for Lyon's Mamadou Diawara.
Gabriel Moscardo, who was on international duty with the Brazilian youth team over the weekend, had the opening goal against Still-Mutzig, while the other ones came from Mamadou Diakhon and Nhoa Sangui.
Over in the Principality, former Reims striker Folarin Balogun is out with a dislocated shoulder for Monaco, Krepin Diatta is doubtful due to a muscle strain, Christian Mawissa has a sore hamstring, Aleksandr Golovin may not be available because of an ankle issue and Radoslaw Majecki is nearing a return from an adductor problem.
A groin problem could keep George Ilenikhena sidelined on Tuesday, Takumi Minamino missed their weekend fixture because of an illness, while the club officially signed Mike Biereth from Sturn Graz earlier in the week.
Eliesse Ben Seghir got the opener against L'Union Saint-Jean, with Ilenikhena, Jordan Teze and Vanderson also finding the back of the net.
Reims possible starting lineup:
Diouf; Buta, Okumu, Kipre, Akieme; Munetsi, Fofana; Ito, Teuma, Nakamura; Diakhon
Monaco possible starting lineup:
Majecki; Singo, Kehrer, Magassa; Vanderson, Matazo, Zakaria, Henrique; Akliouche, Ben Seghir; Embolo
We say: Reims 1-1 Monaco (Monaco advances on penalties)
Both sides have recently struggled to find a decisive and consistent number nine, but we trust the depth of Monaco will be enough to squeak through on Tuesday.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Joel Lefevre
