Paris Saint-Germain wrapped up the first part of a potential quadruple by beating 10-man Bastia 4-0 at Stade de France to clinch a record fifth Coupe de la Ligue title.
Sebastian Squillaci's red card on 20 minutes proved a watershed moment as Zlatan Ibrahimovic slotted the resulting penalty.
Ghislain Printant's side thought they were going to go into the break with just a one-goal deficit, but Ibrahimovic's brilliant chest-and-volley on 41 minutes gave them more to think about during the break.
Bastia had chances to reduce the arrears but failed to take them, and Edinson Cavani punished them with two goals in the final 10 minutes to seal the victory.
Below, relive the drama with our live text commentary.
Good evening my friends and welcome to our live text coverage of the Coupe de la Ligue final between Paris Saint-Germain and Bastia. I'm Shane and I'll be guiding you through all the action at Stade de France as the reigning champions bid to retain their title and win the competition for a record FIFTH time.
I capitalised the 'FIFTH' because the current format of this tournament has only been in existence for 20 years, so winning it that many times is impressive init.
Before we look at how both sides line up, let's have a brief history lesson, shall we? Okay and, believe it or not, but tonight's encounter represents a repeat of the first-ever final in the current format back in 1995, with Les Parisiens winning 2-0 that night.
PSG have won it three times since then - 1998, 2008 and 2014 - and another victory tonight will wrap up part one of an unprecedented quadruple this season, with Laurent Blanc's side still going strong in Ligue 1, Coupe de France and the Champions League.
Okay history is just as boring as I remember, so let's now look at some team news, shall we? Why not. Stay tuned my friends.
PSG XI: Douchez; Maxwell, Silva, Marquinhos, Aurier; Matiuidi, Rabiot, Verratti; Lavezzi, Pastore, Ibrahimovic
BASTIA XI: Areola; Squillaci, Modesto, Palmieri, Cioni; Gillet, Cahuzac; Danic, Ayite, Boudebouz; Sio
Three changes for PSG from that 4-1 win Coupe de France win over Auxerre - which saw them move into the final - as Blaise Matuidi replaces Yohan Cabaye to join Marco Verratti and Adrien Rabiot in midfield. Further back, Lucas Digne and Gregory van der Wiel drop out of defence for Maxwell and Serge Aurier in the full-back slots.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who received a four-game Ligue 1 ban for, well, being Ibra, spearheads the attack with Ezequiel Lavezzi and Javier Pastore in support either side of him.
Just the two changes for Bastia from their 3-1 defeat at Montpellier, with former Arsenal defender Sebastian Squillaci coming into defence to replace Mathieu Peybernes, whose surname sounds a little like symptoms of an STI, while Gael Danic comes in at the expense of Francois Kamano to support lone striker Giovanni Sio.
Arsenal fans will be familiar with Squillaci, and the prospect of him trying to defend against the mighty Ibrahimovic is rather ominous it must be said. Why? Because Squillaci is a bit of a disaster, and Ibra has scored nine in his last five - including a hat-trick at home to Auxerre during the week.
Incidentally, you'll get 12/1 on Bastia if you fancy an upset tonight, my friends. Perhaps a little over-priced considering they won their last head-to-head? Time will tell, but in my extensive experience of gambling, the bookies are usually spot-on.
PREDICTION! That being said, let's delve two hours into the future and try see the result, shall we? Okay, and Les Parisiens need only remember the disappointment and criticism that came their way in the wake of their shock 4-2 defeat to Bastia in January. With that result still relatively fresh in their minds, it should inspire them to glory this evening and they should have too much firepower. It is a final, though, so who knows!
There's some impressive pre-match entertainment going on at Stade de France, with roughly 100 gymnasts doing all sorts of back-flips and somersaults on the field in some sort of concept routine that has gone over my head admittedly. Does this happen before every game in France?
Some very attractive woman in very tight shorts now carries the Coupe de la Ligue title to its mantle and the players emerge from the tunnel. Will one of them touch it? I mean the trophy, not the woman's, eh, let's not.
KICKOFF: Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand we're off as both sides bid to pick up a first bit of silverware this season. For Bastia, it could be the only positive in a season that sees them relegated from Ligue 1, while it could be part one of a potential quadruple for the capital club. Delicately poised. Let's go.
Adrien Rabiot, who has been quite impressive in recent months, wins a free kick in a decent position. Lavezzi is standing over it but let's see if he shoots or crosses....
The Argentine floats it into the danger zone, but it's headed away by Francois Modesto. Disappointing delivery there.
Bastia, who are actually the home team tonight, get an early opportunity now as Sio wins a corner off Thiago Silva. Set pieces could be a promising avenue for them tonight.
CHANCE! And it's an early chance for Bastia, as Sebastian Squillaci has a free header but he heads it vertically in the air and then lands on the back of Thiago Silva's head! Looked nasty, and the PSG skipper is getting treatment now.
This is definitely a final folks. While Silva receives treatment, PSG's Serge Aurier and Bastia defender Julien Palmieri exchange a few words in quite a hostile manner. There's spice to this one already. Incidentally, Silva is back on the field.
Ibrahimovic shows off his impressive strength to hold off a few challenges, before Yannick Cahuzac trips him and concedes a free kick. Interestingly, the referee is wearing a microphone, which would be interesting if I could speak French, but I can't.
PENALTY APPEAL: Bastia look to be very, very lucky to get away with this, as Gilles Cioni knocks the ball out of Pastore's way by using his elbow. Intentional or not, it should've been a penalty. Certainly no shortage of talking points in this first 10 minutes, is there?
Silva dishes out a little retribution on Sio, who had earlier bundled him over, as the Brazilian's flailing arm catches the Bastia striker in the face. Free kick and rightly so.
Bastia, it has to be said, have probably been the better side in this first 15 minutes or so. They've thrown in a few really dangerous crosses that raised pulses inside the PSG defence. They've got nothing to lose, and that's always a dangerous ingredient in a final when you're such a massive underdog.
PENALTY TO PSG & SEBASTIAN SQUILLACI RED CARD!!!!
We said Sebastian Squillaci was a disaster of a defender before kickoff, and the Frenchman has proved us right as he brings down Lavezzi to earn a red card. Could that be it already?
GOAL!!!!!!!!!!!!! Bastia 0-1 PSG (Zlatan Ibrahimovic penalty)
Zlatan does what he does best and grabs his seventh goal in as many games against Bastia with a brilliant penalty. Goalkeeper Alphonse Areola had absolutely no chance. What a big, big job they have on their hands now.
SUB: Midfielder Gael Danic is sacrificed for Mathieu Peybernes, who dropped out of the first XI to accommodate Squillaci's inclusion. What a dodgy call that looks now!
YELLOW CARD: Bastia midfielder Yannick Cahuzac goes into the book now and they need to simmer down and compose themselves because there's 65 minutes left in this final.
If they want to, PSG could have any number of goals here. They look dangerous with every attack now, and might've had a second if Pastore played a better ball into Lavezzi in a swift counter just then.
SHOT! Decent effort by midfielder Marco Verratti as he looks to double the lead, but his volley sails over the bar. Or was it wide? It was one of them where you can't really tell.
Bastia, to their credit, have done well to weather this storm and it's still only 1-0. Providing they keep it tight, you never know what could happen. PSG know better than most about the dangers that come with having a numerical advantage, having beaten Chelsea with 10 men in the Champions League.
Something better might've come from this, as right-back Aurier does pretty well down the wing, but his final ball is a shocker and Bastia get it away.
CHANCE! Bit of a let-off for Bastia here as Maxwell, on his weaker right foot, has a shot inside the box but his effort is about to trickle wide, before the offside Lavezzi taps against the side-netting. They haven't been brilliant since the goal it has to be said.
GOAL!!!!!!!! Bastia 0-2 PSG (Zlatan Ibrahimovic)
Stick a fork in it, my friends. Zlatan doubles his and his team's total for the night with a superb chest-and-volley from outside the box to leave Areola with no chance again. It's a poor defensive header from Peybernes to clear Aurier's cross, and the ball lands to Ibrahimovic, who makes no mistake. That should be it.
OUCH! This is nasty, as Palmieri and Pastore have a clash of heads, and it's the latter who comes off the worst as he receives treatment now.
THREE MINUTES ADDED ON:
CHANCE! Ezequiel Lavezzi misses the chance to add a third before the break, running through on goal but his low drive is rebuffed by Areola.
HALF TIME: BASTIA 0-2 PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN
That's all she wrote in that half, my friends. PSG, with a man advantage after Sebastian Squillaci saw red, are two goals to the good courtesy of a brace from Zlatan, who now has 11 goals in his last six PSG games as he bids for a third hat-trick in as many weeks. He's different class, isn't he.
Bastia had arguably been the better team until Squillaci fouled Lavezzi and conceded a penalty on the 20-minute mark to effectively end any hopes they had of an upset tonight. It's such a shame.
RESTART! Aaaaaaaaaaaaand we're back underway at Stade de France. PSG, with a two-goal lead thanks to Zlatan Ibrahimovic's brace, are 45 minutes away from part one of a potential quadruple!
CHANCES! Laurent Blanc's side start this half in fine fashion as Areola saves well from Pastore, before Lavezzi drills wide moments later. With Barcelona set to visit Parc des Princes during the week, and PSG struggling with a bit of an injury crisis, Blanc will want to wrap this win up as soon as possible in a bid to bring a few big names off.
This really is a walk in the park for Les Parisiens, who are toying with Bastia now. It's a shame that the competitive element has all but evaporated with a good 40 minutes left, but that's the reality unfortunately.
Incidentally, Bastia, who came into the clash as 12/1 underdogs, are now 500/1 to win this! That's the scale of the task facing them, folks.
CHANCE!!!! Oh no what a chance this was for Bastia to reduce the arrears, as Florian Marange meets Cahuzac's fantastic free kick but he heads narrowly wide of the post. That was their chance and it's passed them by.
Surely PSG will get their you know what together now and grab a third goal because we all know how dangerous a two-goal lead can be, but they're struggling to kill this one off completely.
Looks like we're going to see Edinson Cavani in a PSG shirt for the first time since giving Blanc a tongue-lashing after being substituted in last week's 3-2 Le Classique win over Marseille.
SUB: First PSG sub now as Cavani comes on for Lavezzi, who will surely be playing next week when Barcelona come to town in the Champions League. Verratti and Zlatan are suspended, while David Luiz and Thiago Motta are injured so, you know, they're struggling to have their best players available. Good sub by Blanc.
PSG still the better team, but they're toiling a little in the final third as they struggle to get beyond this back four. What do Bastia have to gain in keeping the same system that they started with by the way? They're 2-0 and a man down, so why not be a little more adventurous?
CHANCE! Should be over as Marco Verratti drives into the box before rifling a shot at goal, but Areola gets a strong fist on it to punch out for a corner. Good chance that.
SUB: Les Parisiens make their second sub now as Javier Pastore - another expected to face Barcelona - is withdrawn for Lucas Moura, who makes his first appearance for two months following injury.
Cavani most probably will start against Barcelona, due to Ibra's suspension, but he's not inspiring too much confidence that he can be effective with a very subdued cameo here so far. In short, he's done absolutely nothing.
CLOSE! Ibrahimovic dominated the pre-match talk, and he's already scored twice, but Marquinhos would've stolen the show had this gone in as the Brazilian defender looks to lob Areola from 30 yards, but the Bastia keeper tips it over in the nick of time.
SUB: PSG make their last sub now as Yohan Cabaye replaces the impressive Adrien Rabiot.
CHANCES! Bastia coming to life once more to remind PSG of the tenuous nature of their lead, as Ayite drills a cross-cum-shot into the box but nobody is on hand to poke home. Moments earlier, Guillaume Gillet whipped an astoundingly good cross into the area, but Danic couldn't convert at the far post.
GOAL!!!!!!!!!!!! Bastia 0-3 Paris Saint-Germain (Edinson Cavani)
Take a bow Mr Cavani, who settles this once and for all. The Uruguayan hitman connects with Serge Aurier's and directs a brilliant header past Areola to kill off brave Bastia.
SUB: Brandao, who was banned for six months for headbutting Thiago Motta back in August, makes his first appearance since that incident as he comes on for the last 10 minutes or so.
YELLOW CARD: Mathieu Peybernes goes into the book for fouling Ibrahimovic, who lines up a free kick from about 25 yards as he goes for his hat-trick.
His free kick is blocked, however, and that'll probably be Zlatan's last chance to record his hat-trick. Three minutes to go.
TWO MINUTES ADDED ON:
GOAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Bastia 0-4 PSG (Edinson Cavani)
Brilliant fourth goal as Ibrahimovic plays in Cavani with a perfectly weighted ball as the Uruguayan cooly slots beyond Areola for his brace.
FULL TIME: BASTIA 0-4 PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN
Aaaaaaaaaaaand it's all over! Paris Saint-Germain clinch their FIFTH Coupe de la Ligue title to wrap up the first part of a prospective quadruple!
It was a stroll in the park for Les Parisiens, who moved 1-0 ahead from the penalty spot via Ibrahimovic when Squillaci was sent off for fouling Lavezzi inside the box. The Swedish hitman added a second shortly before the break with a fantastic chest-and-volley to effectively kill off the contest.
Edinson Cavani added a third on 81 minutes to silence Bastia once and for all, after creating a few chances to reduce the arrears but ultimately failing to take them. The onslaught continued until the dying stages though, with Cavani picking up his brace with a cool finish late on.
Anywho, that's all from us, my friends. Hopefully you've enjoyed our coverage as much as I have enjoyed reporting it. Fair play to Bastia, but Squillaci killed any hopes of a giant-killing tonight after just 20 minutes. Congratulations to PSG. See ya buds!
Written by
Shane Callaghan
Shane Callaghan
