Fourth-tier amateurs Versailles play Nice for place in Coupe de France final

The expansive Avenue de Paris cuts the city of Versailles clean through the middle, historically linking the west of the capital with the world-famous royal palace and gardens. Just before it pulls up below the equestrian statue of King Louis XIV guarding the front gates of his brainchild, a small road juts out northwards and leads to the Stade Montbauron, a nondescript 7,500-seat ground that appears almost in contradiction with the rest of the city’s royal air.

The stadium is home to FC Versailles 78, the fourth-tier club who have reached the semi-finals of the Coupe de France this season for the first time in their history. If they beat Nice on Tuesday night, they will meet either Nantes or Monaco in the final in May.

Versailles are the latest in a long run of underdogs who have progressed through what is surely the most democratic domestic cup competition in football. Ligue 1 teams often knock each other out early on in the competition, giving lower league sides the chance to progress. Les Herbiers were in the third tier when they met PSG in the final in 2018, and Calais were a fourth-tier side when they reached the final in 2000.

Versailles have already made it through six rounds to reach the semi-finals. They beat a couple of amateur sides in the early rounds and two fifth-tier clubs in the rounds of 64 and 32, before securing a hard-fought win over Ligue 2 leaders Toulouse in the last 16 and a penalty shootout victory over Bergerac in the quarter-finals.

They are now enjoying the national limelight that comes with a trip to Nice in the last four. Nice are third in Ligue 1 and are coached by Christophe Galtier, who guided Lille to the title last season, so this will be Versailles’ toughest challenge yet. They