In Plaudren, a fourth-round Coupe de France tie has turned into a week the club’s players will not forget. The Morbihan amateur side, playing at eighth-tier R3 level, face R1 team Pontivy on Sunday at 15:00 in their first ever appearance at this stage of the competition.
The move
FC Lorient have stepped in to support Plaudren’s preparations for the tie, an initiative launched by the Ligue 1 club as the amateurs seek an upset against opponents two divisions above them.
Plaudren’s officials initially believed the offer was a prank. Instead, they were given access to Lorient personnel and resources throughout the week, including coaches, a physiotherapist, video analysts and a communications team.
Lorient also arranged a media day and a press conference around the fixture, while documenting the build-up through a short daily social-media series.
- Laurent Koscielny, a former Lorient player, visited Plaudren.
- Marama Vahirua, another former figure at the Breton club, also met the squad.
- Bingourou Kamara, Lorient’s Senegal international goalkeeper, took part in a training session with Plaudren’s goalkeeper.
The French season around it
Lorient were 12th in Ligue 1 when they organised the support package for Plaudren, known as the Écureuils. Their involvement has given the R3 side a professional-style build-up before a cup match that already carries historic significance for the club.
Pontivy arrive from R1, two divisions higher than Plaudren, but Sunday’s meeting offers the hosts a chance to extend an exceptional Coupe de France run with unusual help from one of Brittany’s top-flight clubs.
