Christophe Galtier guided Nice past the minnows of Versailles and into the Coupe de France final, before declaring: "I can't wait to see the Stade de France in red and black."

A first appearance in the competition's final for 25 years awaits Nice now, with Nantes and Monaco going head to head on Wednesday for the right to join them in Paris on May 8.

Nice are owned now by British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe and have big ambitions they are moving towards fulfilling. A trophy is now in their sights, while they sit third in Ligue 1, which meant they began as overwhelming favourites against fourth-tier Versailles.

Goals in the second half from Amine Gouiri and Kasper Dolberg did the job, earning a 2-0 win for the home side as an initially nervy Nice stepped up the pace once they edged ahead.

"There was a lot of pressure before this match," head coach Galtier said. "People wanted to see the amateurs beat the pros. The joy was not the same with us as it was after the successes against PSG or Marseille. It was more relief and satisfaction."

PSG and Marseille were beaten by Nice in the previous two rounds, and it will be the Parisians who are next to come to the Allianz Riviera on Saturday for a Ligue 1 assignment.

"We have to recover quickly to play a big match against Paris," Galtier said. "But there is a lot of joy and relief. I can't wait to see the Stade de France in red and black."

More joy for Galtier could come at the national stadium, as the man who won the Coupe de la Ligue with Saint-Etienne nine years ago and the Ligue 1 title with Lille last season attempts to complete the set of French football's major trophies.

"It would be great as a treble with three different clubs," Galtier said. "I've already won the Coupe de France as an assistant with Alain Perrin at Sochaux and Lyon, but as a head coach it would be extraordinary. However, we are a long way from that."

Goalkeeper Marcin Bulka said Nice were good value for their place in the trophy match.

Bulka told Nice's official website: "There are thousands of teams who take part in this competition, and we have qualified for the final! We are very happy with this qualification. It's well deserved, because we eliminated strong teams like Paris and Marseille.

"It is no accident, no coincidence that we are here. The team deserves this victory and those before and to be in the final. Now we have one last step. We want to win and I hope we will achieve our goal."

Amine Gouiri put Nice in sight of a first Coupe de France triumph for 25 years as Christophe Galtier's team reached the final with a 2-0 win over minnows Versailles.

France Under-21 forward Gouiri eased nerves inside the Allianz Riviera when he drilled Nice ahead with a sharp finish in the 48th minute.

Gouiri had chances to extend the home team's lead, before he laid on the chance for Kasper Dolberg to rattle in the second goal.

Nantes or Nice's neighbours Monaco await in the final, which will be played on May 8 at the Stade de France.

Nice last won this cup in 1997 but have already eliminated Paris Saint-Germain and Marseille in this season's competition and fourth-tier Versailles were understandably conservative in their approach.

Khephren Thuram headed inches over the bar after a left-wing corner from Calvin Stengs picked him out at the near post.

Stengs had a shot from 12 yards well blocked after working the chance well with Gouiri on the left, before Diego Michel trickled a low shot wide at the other end.

Thuram had another great chance after Stengs, this time from the right, clipped in a cross that he could headed straight at goalkeeper Dan Delaunay.

Gouiri threatened early in the second half but took a heavy touch and the chance went, yet within a minute he had another opening, controlling Jordan Lotomba's cross right-wing cross and finding the top-right corner from 12 yards.

Gouiri was denied by Delaunay and then saw another shot deflect wide but Nice's insurance goal came in the 73rd minute when substitute Dolberg lashed into the bottom-left corner.

Evann Guessand struck the crossbar amid a late Nice flurry, as they eased into their first Coupe de France final in 25 years.

Amine Gouiri put Nice in sight of a first Coupe de France triumph for 25 years as Christophe Galtier's team reached the final with a 2-0 win over minnows Versailles.

France Under-21 forward Gouiri eased nerves inside the Allianz Riviera when he drilled Nice ahead with a sharp finish in the 48th minute.

Gouiri had chances to extend the home team's lead, before he laid on the chance for Kasper Dolberg to rattle in the second goal.

Nantes or Nice's neighbours Monaco await in the final, which will be played on May 8 at the Stade de France.

Nice last won this cup in 1997 but have already eliminated Paris Saint-Germain and Marseille in this season's competition and fourth-tier Versailles were understandably conservative in their approach.

Khephren Thuram headed inches over the bar after a left-wing corner from Calvin Stengs picked him out at the near post.

Stengs had a shot from 12 yards well blocked after working the chance well with Gouiri on the left, before Diego Michel trickled a low shot wide at the other end.

Thuram had another great chance after Stengs, this time from the right, clipped in a cross that he could headed straight at goalkeeper Dan Delaunay.

Gouiri threatened early in the second half but took a heavy touch and the chance went, yet within a minute he had another opening, controlling Jordan Lotomba's cross right-wing cross and finding the top-right corner from 12 yards.

Gouiri was denied by Delaunay and then saw another shot deflect wide but Nice's insurance goal came in the 73rd minute when substitute Dolberg lashed into the bottom-left corner.

Evann Guessand struck the crossbar amid a late Nice flurry, as they eased into their first Coupe de France final in 25 years.

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