Coupet to quit Lyon for new challenge

French international goalkeeper Grégory Coupet will play his last game for Olympique Lyonnais in Saturday's French Cup final against Paris Saint-Germain FC.

'No secret I will leave'
Coupet, 35, revealed on the eve of the match that he will quit the Ligue 1 champions to "try something new". One of only three players, alongside Sidney Govou and Juninho Pernambucano, to have won all seven of Lyon's successive French titles, he said: "It is no secret that I will leave. I want to thank the fans by keeping a clean sheet at the Stade de France."

Long service
Coupet has made 370 league appearances for the Stade de Gerland club since arriving from regional rivals AS Saint-Étienne in 1996/97. Rémy Vercoutre deputised for Coupet – capped 29 times by France – when he was injured earlier in the season. Lyon have also registered an interest in OGC Nice's French Under-21 international Hugo Lloris. As to Coupet's next move, he hinted: "I am probably seen as being too old in France, but abroad I still have a few good years left."