Paris: Paris Saint-Germain coach Unai Emery says the French Cup semi-final against Monaco will finally decide the running battle between the rivals.
PSG are chasing a third consecutive clean sweep of domestic honours and are a third of the way there after hammering free-scoring Monaco 4-1 in last weekend’s League Cup final.
But Monaco are three points ahead at the top of Ligue 1 and the two teams must do it all over again after Wednesday’s draw pitted them together in the last four of the French Cup later this month.
Even a domestic treble may not save Emery from the sack after one season in Paris, following the calamitous Champions League exit to Barcelona.
“Monaco at home, with our supporters, I think that’s a really attractive semi-final,” said the Spaniard, after a double from recalled Hatem Ben Arfa put the holders on the way to a 4-0 away win over third-tier Avranches in Wednesday’s quarter-final potential banana skin.
“It’s a good match for all the supporters of PSG and Monaco to repeat a big game like the final of the League Cup was and also to demonstrate which side is the best.”
Monaco and PSG have met three times this campaign already.
Early in the season Monaco — the most prolific scorers in Europe’s top leagues — stunned reigning champions PSG 3-1 at home in Ligue 1.
The two sides drew 1-1 in Paris in the return fixture, before Emery’s men punished Monaco last weekend.
The other French Cup semi-final tie is also an all-Ligue 1 showdown, with Angers playing Guingamp.
The matches will take place on April 25 and 26.
Attacking midfielder Ben Arfa has endured a frustrating time at PSG since moving from Nice in the summer and been a peripheral figure.
He was an unused substitute in Saturday’s 4-1 mauling of Monaco in the final of the League Cup, but was a central figure against Avranches in the much-changed PSG line-up.
Top scorer Edinson Cavani was only on the bench and winger Angel Di Maria did not feature at all.
It left PSG struggling for rhythm in the first half but they took the lead on 35 minutes when Lucas Moura nudged the ball to Ben Arfa from a free-kick and he rifled the ball into the far corner from the edge of the box via a small deflection.
It was a timely reminder to PSG coach Unai Emery of the 30-year-old’s quality.
Avranches failed to take a couple of decent chances at the start of the second half and Ben Arfa, whose career has been a series of brilliant highs and petulant lows, punished them with his second on 54 minutes.
Moura was again the unselfish provider and the Brazilian then got in on the act two minutes later for 3-0.
Javier Pastore sealed victory late on for 4-0.
Earlier, Cheikh Ndoye scored the winner in the second half as Angers saw off fellow Ligue 1 side Bordeaux 2-1 in the other quarter-final on the night.
