Our prediction for this Coupe de France match:
A spot in the Coupe de France quarter-finals will be at stake when Rouen and Monaco take on each other at Stade Robert Diochon on Thursday evening. Les Rouges et Blancs dropped two points in a 1-1 draw with Le Havre and, no doubt, they are eager to return to winning ways as soon as possible. Returnee Takumi Minamino is pushing for a recall to the starting XI, while forward Folarin Balogun misses out with a shoulder problem. Kassoum Ouattara could sneak into the starting line-up as well.
Les Diables Rouges, on the other hand, failed to impress in back-to-back defeats to Nimes and Versailles, which is yet another reason why we are going to bet on Monaco. A man to keep an eye on in the home team will be forward Damien Loppy, who is likely to prove a handful for the opposition back-line.
Highlighted Player (Wissam Ben Yedder):
Wissam Ben Yedder was born in Sarcelles, France on 12 August, 1990, but he has yet to make his France debut at senior level. The 170-cm-tall striker, though, played three games for France U21 team and he made two appearances for France Futsal team as well.
Ben Yedder began his club career at UJA Alfortville and he moved to Toulouse in 2010. After scoring 63 goals in 156 league appearances for les Pitchouns, the pacey attacker joined La Liga side Sevilla on 30 July, 2016. Wissam Ben Yedder made his Sevilla debut on 14 August, 2016 in a 2-0 loss to Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup. The former Toulouse forward scored his first goal in the Spanish top flight in Sevilla’s 6-4 win over Espanyol in the opening match of the 2016/2017 season.
Ben Yedder started his youth career at Garges-les-Gonesse and he played for the Saint-Denis at the start of his football career as well. You should bear in mind that Ben Yedder is Toulouse’s best scorer of the 21st century.
Highlighted Team (Monaco):
Though based in Monaco, Les Rouges et Blances – as they are commonly referred to – play their games in the French football league system. Members of the top tier Ligue 1, Monaco play their home matches at the Stade Louis II in Fontvieille in front of 18,500 people. The Principality club boasts a turbulent history, which saw Monaco reach the highest heights of both domestic and international scene, but also get relegated to the amateur leagues at the very beginnings and to Ligue 2 in 2010-11 season.
The following year AS Monaco were acquired by the Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev, whose heavy investments turned the Principality club into one of the biggest spenders in Europe in 2013 and reestablishing its place among Europe’s top clubs.
AS Monaco have had notable European results in the modern football era having been runners-up in the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup in 1992 and the UEFA Champions League in 2004. One of the most successful clubs in France AS Monaco have so far won seven league titles and five Coupe de France trophies.