Saudi winger Al-Saad eyes PSG upset in French Cup semifinal

LONDON: Muhanad Al-Saad knows what it is like to make history. In February, he became the first player from Saudi Arabia to score in the French league when he headed in USL Dunkerque’s second goal in their Ligue 2 victory over Clermont Foot 63. It was a surreal moment for Al-Saad, one few — himself included — could have predicted.

Now Al-Saad faces another momentous occasion, as second-tier Dunkerque face the might of Paris Saint-Germain in the Coupe de France semifinals on Tuesday.

Al-Saad and his team-mates are aiming to become the first club outside Ligue 1 to reach the final since Les Herbiers in 2018; only once has the 107-year-old competition been won by a side from outside the top flight, and that was Le Havre back in 1959.

“It’s definitely a tough match,” Al-Saad told Arab News in an exclusive interview. “You’re talking about one of the biggest clubs in France and Europe. But we’re excited and confident — we’ll give it everything we have (to) try to secure a spot in the final and make history.”

It is the first time since 1929 that Dunkerque have reached the last four of the Coupe de France and a spot in the final would break new ground for the club.

The match has been moved from Dunkerque’s 5,000-capacity Stade Marcel-Tribut to Lille’s 50,000-seater Stade Pierre Mauroy. The “hosts” are targeting a major cup upset but PSG have already shown they will not cave to romantic footballing dreams; in the quarterfinals, Luis Enrique’s side thrashed fourth-tier Stade Briochin 7-0.

That 21-year-old Al-Saad will line up against the likes of Achraf Hakimi, Ousmane Dembele and Bradley Barcola is a remarkable turn of events. The Mecca-born winger initially played for the Al-Ahli academy but was released at the age of 15.