The La Courneuve Flash will open their 2020 season at home, playing host to the Amiens Spartiates, February 1, as the French Federation of American Football kicks off.
The two teams met twice in 2019 with each winning one game. The Flash edged Amiens early in the season 7-0 while the Spartiates gained some revenge, beating La Courneuve 21-19 in an early May matchup.
The vaunted Flash fell heavily in 2019, finishing out of the playoffs for the first time in over a decade with a 3-6-1 record. They took the first step to repairing the damage in bringing all-star quarterback Paul Durand out of retirement to lead the offense in Paris. On paper, the team looks stronger than ever. WR Aymeric Nicault (CFL Combine, Wasa Royals) will add another target for the veteran QB. In order to protect Durand as well as possible, the team signed massive offensive linemen Tommy Doles ( Northwestern) and James Louison (Long Island U).
The Spartiates were the surprise of the league in 2019, finishing with a 6-3-1 record. They reached the semifinals where they were knocked off by the eventual champions, the Thonon Black Panthers.
Spartiates head coach Steeve Guersent did not want to shake up a roster that produced a 7-3-1 overall record. The Spartans want to keep building the program with a stable roster. Thus they have added Team France team DL Pierre Yves Koko and brought back to the gridiron OL Quentin Danes.
With Durand behind center, the Flash can be a dangerous team. He led Team France to the European title in 2018. Both games were tight in 2019 so expect another close battle in Paris.
Watch the game live here. Amiens Spartiates @La Courneuve Flash, Sat. Feb. 1, 6p CET (12 noon ET)
