The Coupe de France has a habit of producing eccentric storylines. From long-haul away trips for teams in far-flung overseas regions to finals involving fourth-division sides, the largest domestic cup competition in the world is never short of unlikely encounters.
And despite Sunday’s last-32 fixture between fourth-tier Racing Club de France and top-flight Lille looking like another of those ties at first glance, the match-up is in fact one of the cup’s storied rivalries. The Paris-based side’s cup wins in 1945 and 1949 saw them beat Les Dogues in both finals, with Lille winning the trophy three consecutive times in between. This weekend, the two clubs meet again after 75 years of vastly differing fortunes.
