Coupe de France: “Romania” and freezing climate, the Maubeuge stadium is the perfect trap for the MHSC ?

Mercredi, la neige était tombée sur le stade de Maubeuge. MAXPPP – Belloumi

Montpellier faces Entente Feignies-Aulnoye (N2), Saturday December 20 in the round of 16 of the Coupe de France, in a Maubeuge stadium where the state of the pitch and the freezing climate raise fears of Dantesque conditions. 

"This stadium ? This is Romania!" Saturday, during in its round of 16 of the Coupe de France against the Entente Feignies-Aulnoye, Montpellier will discover a terrain that even the inhabitants of Maubeuge look at with a strange eye.

With its antique statue at the entrance, its small 500-seat stand, its athletics track and its handrail, the Léo-Lagrange stadium has everything of the perfect trap for a team used to playing in front of 200 to 250 people in its usual den in Feignies, considered too cramped by the FFF.

"We even thought about playing in Montpellier"

"I want to offer the best reception conditions. Unfortunately, Valenciennes and its Hainaut stadium were not available (VA welcomes Paris FC at the same time, Editor's note). I had no other solution. We even thought about playing in Montpellier since we didn't have a plan B outside of Maubeuge, confides Laurent Ménissez, president of the Entente and unconvinced by the venue.

Closed wickets and lawn waiting to be covered

Whatever, the 2,400 tickets (from 10 to 25 euros) found buyers between Monday and Tuesday, while 100 to 150 Hérault supporters are expected and feared by the local authorities.

Dreaded, like the predicted freezing climate. On Wednesday, snow arrived in Maubeuge. In anticipation of negative temperatures (between – 2 and – 4°C Saturday), heating and covering the lawn is planned by the federation. But the blanket could not be delivered yesterday, probably due to a ban on truck traffic.