Cannes, France — AS Cannes, a club in National 2, dey prepare for dem big match on April 2, as dem go face Stade de Reims for demi-final of the Coupe de France. Na three decades plus since dem last enter dis level of competition, an achievement wey dem don long dey wait for since 1992.
The club, wey sabi produce champions like Zinédine Zidane and Patrick Vieira, don show say dem get serious ambition to return to professional football, as dem don knock out several Ligue 2 teams like Grenoble (3-2), Lorient (2-1), and Guingamp (3-1). Veteran player Cheikh N’Doye, wey don already play final for Coupe de France in 2017, dey lead the team under coach Damien Ott, wey describe their style as “put everything on the table like for casino.”
Currently, Cannes dey sit third for Group A of the National 2, and dem don start new project under their new owner, Dan Friedkin, wey be billionaire and also own AS Roma for Italy and Everton FC for England. Since he buy the club for June 2023, he don increase the budget from just over 1.5 million euros to over 4.5 million euros dis season, and he don double the number of employees to about 30.
AS Cannes, wey start in 1902, don win only one trophy, the Coupe de France in 1932. After dem relegated in 1998, dem struggle hard, passing through different divisions, even dey fall to the seventh level of French football by 2014 due to financial issues from the Direction Nationale du Contrôle de Gestion (DNCG).
Since Damien Ott join dem in October 2024, the team don dey perform well, with 9 wins, 2 draws, and only 1 loss in 11 matches under im stewardship. Even though dem don lose first place in their group to Le Puy, who get 8 points advantage, Ott’s arrival don bring new energy to the squad. “Cannes dey break the rules; we love am,” he said. Him also dey known as “the sorcerer” for Côte d’Azur, dey promote offensive football wey full of duels, commitment, and boldness.
“The sporting adventure dey thrilling, because the way we dey play dey excite both players and staff,” Ott talk. Dis adventure fit enter another phase if Cannes fit win against Reims on Wednesday night and hurl dem into the final of the Coupe de France. “I no get quick-fix to how to beat Reims, but I sabi wetin we fit do to play well,” Ott talk before di match.
The team, although dem dey choose underdogs, dey enter the match with confidence against a struggling Ligue 1 side wey dey 15th on the table. For dem home ground, Stade Pierre-de-Coubertin, wey dey fill to capacity with nearly 10,000 seats, Cannes get plans for fan zone to invite more supporters, and dem aim to become the third club from National 2 to reach Coupe de France final, following Calais in 1999 and Les Herbiers in 2018.
“This na Ligue 1, if dem want to take us, dem go take us, na dem go decide,” Ott admit. But as dem dey eye di final again nearly a century after dem last reach dis stage, AS Cannes dey determined to continue dis beautiful journey.
