Following their short break to take on Cristiano Ronaldo and the Riyadh All Stars in a club friendly, Paris Saint-Germain resume the 2022-23 season by facing Pays de Cassel in the 2023 French Cup round of 16.
Christophe Galtier’s men come from a positive winter tour, having cleared their minds ahead of a challenging stretch this year. Their first game since returning from Asia, however, may not be the most demanding fixture.
While PSG are one of the wealthiest and strongest clubs in Europe – as well as current Ligue 1 leaders – their next opponents are currently in the 6th division. On top of that, some of their upcoming opponents are actually big PSG fans.
PSG to face French Cup opponents who support the club
The upcoming fixture will be memorable for the humble Pays de Cassel team, but especially for defender Alexis Zmijak and midfielder Clement Boudjema – both members of the Collectif Ultra Paris, a group of diehard PSG supporters.
"I have no stress before this match. We have nothing to lose, it's the match of our lives. And for me personally, it's great to be in this situation," Zmijak told Le Parisien, via Marca."But if Mbappe is going to score, do I stop it or not? Or do I say to myself, 'Wait, he has to play against Bayern Munich in the Champions League in a little while (laughs)'."
"Finding yourself as a player who is going up against them is unimaginable. We will play hard without trying to hurt anyone. We will try to ignore the context. This management of emotions will be a novelty for me," Boudjema told L'Equipe. "I have admiration and respect for players like Mbappe and Messi. We are not butchers. We also know how to handle ourselves."
These kinds of stories make the domestic cups so special. If it weren’t for the Coupe de France, these PSG ultras may not get to take the field against their idols. Even if that brings mixed emotions, it will be an unforgettable experience.
