Player of the Weekend

Cup football was the talk of the weekend across Europe in the football world, as thousands of players across the continent had the chance to become cup heroes for the day.

Particularly in games where small lower league sides met established, historically successful clubs, there was a chance for players to make this weekend – the first weekend of 2019 no less – one to remember. For all of the FA Cup’s FAmous magic in England, it is in France where our Player of the cup football Weekend resides. Or more so, players of the weekend as, for the first time, an entire squad is taking our title.

Andrézieux-Bouthéon is the club in question, who currently play in the French fourth division. Their 5,000 capacity stadium opened in 2016 with the aim of keeping their home ground up to the standards required of the French fourth, third and second tier – something which their previous home was judged not to have done. And similarly, once Andrézieux’s dream tie against Marseille was pulled out of the hat, the French Football Federation gave them similar treatment.

With their own ground too small, the match was moved to Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, the home of Marseille’s bitter rivals, St Ettienne. This was perhaps the first psychological challenge for the Ligue 1 side who came into this game without a win in 6 games, a record that turned up the already large pressure that comes with being the Goliath in this cup football playscript. And sure enough, that famous giant killing scene was played out.

A spirited, organised team effort from the underdogs underlined everything that their opponents were lacking. Goals from Bryan-Clovis Ngwabije and Florian Milla were greeted not with the shock of many cup upsets, but with determined celebration as if to suggest this was a result that these players had worked for and thoroughly deserved.28 shots against their goal may suggest otherwise, but with exactly three divisions separating

A spirited, organised team effort from the underdogs underlined everything that their opponents were lacking. Goals from Bryan-Clovis Ngwabije and Florian Milla were greeted not with the shock of many cup upsets, but with determined celebration as if to suggest this was a result that these players had worked for and thoroughly deserved.

28 shots against their goal may suggest otherwise, but with exactly three divisions separating these sides, along with 10 Ligue 1 titles and tens of millions of euros, ASF Andrézieux-Bouthéon were worthy winners of the match and worthy winners of our Player(s) of the Weekend title.