The 8th round of the Coupe de France, the last before the entry of the Ligue 1 clubs in the round of 32, saw the elimination on Saturday of several Ligue 2 teams. Conversely, Saint-Étienne recorded a double-digit score.

Jules Vial will long remember the evening of November 29, 2025. A devoted supporter of Saint-Étienne, this amateur player in the Regional 3 league, who also works as a waiter, fulfilled a dream by facing AS Saint-Étienne on Saturday at Geoffroy-Guichard Stadium in the 8th round of the Coupe de France . While his team, Ecotay-Moingt, suffered a double-digit defeat (11-1), he enjoyed himself by scoring a direct free kick. He then proceeded to emulate the "panther" celebration of a certain Bafétimbi Gomis.

"It's incredible, truly. Thank you, Geoffroy! It's a memory that will stay with me forever. I hope they give us some great performances this year. Sometimes I complain about how they play on TV, but actually, when you see them live… it's another level," he smiled after the match. For Saint-Étienne, this resounding victory against their neighbors from Ecotay-Moingt means qualification for the Round of 32 of the Coupe de France. Conversely, other Ligue 2 teams have already been eliminated.

A penalty shootout with 44 attempts

Pau, Rodez, and Red Star were eliminated by Mérignac (R1, 1-0), Canet-Roussillon (N3, 1-0), and ASC Biesheim (N2, 1-1, 9-8 on penalties), respectively. Bottom of Ligue 2, Bastia also had a close call but ultimately overcame Saint-Malo (N2) on penalties (0-0, 5-4 on penalties). The match between Steenvoorde (R1) and Béthune (R1) ended in an even more dramatic fashion, culminating in a penalty shootout with 44 attempts, three of which were missed! It was ultimately the Artois club (0-0, 21-20 on penalties) who secured their place in the next round, which will see the entry of the 18 Ligue 1 clubs.

Bordeaux will also be in action. Currently leading their National 2 group, the Girondins were down 3-0 at halftime against AS Mazères Uzos Rontignon, a team from the Béarn region playing in Regional 1. But Bruno Irlès' men managed to turn the game around, ultimately winning 4-3 and avoiding a major disappointment. "It's a wake-up call we're glad to have in the Cup and not in the league, because we might not have come back..." commented the Bordeaux coach.

The 8th round of the Coupe de France ends this Sunday and the draw for the round of 32 will take place on Monday at 7pm (to be followed live with commentary on RMC Sport).