Check out all you need to know ahead of our Coupe de France semi-final away to Strasbourg, which kicks off at 21:00 CET tomorrow.

STRONG AWAY SUPPORT EXPECTED

Having already turned up in great numbers to their side’s league game against Strasbourg at the start of this month, over 300 Nice fans are expected to be in the Stade de la Meinau’s away section again tomorrow night.

AN UPDATE ON THE SQUAD

When asked for an update on his players during his pre-match press conference, Claude Puel indicated that Dante, Youssouf Ndayishimiye and Mohamed Abdelmonem would not make the trip to northeastern France. “If he passes today’s fitness test, Charles [Vanhoutte] will be in the squad,” added the OGCN boss.

DEPARTURE SET FOR WEDNESDAY

With this afternoon’s training session and pre-match press conference out of the way, Les Aiglons will head towards Alsace tomorrow morning.

REFEREE TO BE MIC’D UP

In addition to VAR and goal-line technology, a public address system will be activated for central referee François Letexier during tomorrow’s game, meaning that both the stadium crowd and the TV audience will be able to hear the referee’s explanations following his consultations with the video assistant referees. This will be a first for a Le Gym match and will be repeated during our game away to Marseille on Sunday.

CÉDRIC KANTÉ TO REPRESENT LE GYM

As was the case in the quarter-finals, each competing club will be represented by one of its former players, who will wear a “half-and-half” shirt featuring the colours of both teams. As Jean-Philippe Mattio did away to Lorient (see photo below), Cédric Kante will be the man to represent OGC Nice at La Meinau. Before his spell as an Aiglon between 2006 and 2009, the Strasbourg-born centre-back plied his trade for Le Racing, whose own ambassador tomorrow will be David Ledy, a striker who was on the Alsace club’s books from 2006 to 2014.

ONE OF THE FINALISTS TO BE DECIDED TONIGHT

When the players from Strasbourg and Nice step onto the pitch, they will already know the identity of their potential opponent at the Stade de France on May 22. The first semi-final is being played this Tuesday evening at Bollaert, between Lens and Toulouse.

PATHS CROSSING AGAIN

Ben Chilwell is an “old” acquaintance of Claude Puel. As the Nice manager pointed out in a press conference, he has already coached the Strasbourg left-back when he was in charge of Leicester (2017–19). The Englishman is a pure product of the Foxes’ youth academy.

A CINEMA FIRST

After being relocated several times last season to various venues and performance halls, this time Nice supporters will watch the beIN Sports broadcast on the giant screen of a movie theatre. Ticket sales (with all proceeds going to the endowment fund) were reserved for season ticket holders. The “screening” organised at Pathé Gare du Sud sold out very quickly.

---