Rennes’ Hopes to Be Best of the Rest in Ligue 1 Dimmed

Stade Rennais began the current season with high hopes, raising expectations among fans. However, this sense of optimism may have served as a warning that challenges lay ahead, as past seasons have shown that such promise often turns to disappointment. Nevertheless, there were reasons to believe Rennes could emerge as a formidable challenger in Ligue 1 this year.

Rennes maintained continuity by keeping their head coach Franck Haise, making them one of just six clubs in France’s top flight to do so. The squad remained largely unchanged, with Jérémy Jacquet being the most significant departure, moving to Liverpool after a lengthy injury absence.

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Notable players like Abdelhamid Aït Boudlal remained with the club despite Premier League interest, and they secured the return of Esteban Lepaul, who had a standout season as the league’s golden boot winner. Additionally, Rennes strengthened their lineup with new signings, including Charlie Cresswell and Adrien Thomasson from Toulouse FC and RC Lens respectively, following a sixth-place finish that earned them a spot in the UEFA Europa League.

Strong start masks rocky road for Rennes

The season opened positively for Rennes, starting with a 2-2 draw against Paris Saint-Germain. This was followed by three consecutive victories over Le Mans FC, Angers SCO, and Olympique de Marseille. There was a growing belief that Rennes was not just performing well on paper, but also on the pitch.

However, the situation has sharply declined since that promising start. After ten Ligue 1 matches, Rennes has recorded five wins, one draw, and four losses, landing them in eighth place as they enter the international break. Given their ambitions, this performance raises concerns about a regression from last season’s achievements.

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Defensive issues have plagued the team, as they have only kept two clean sheets and conceded 21 goals this season. This defensive record places them among the bottom three in the league, alongside Le Havre AC, RC Strasbourg Alsace, and AJ Auxerre, all of whom face relegation threats.

Lepaul’s Midas touch

In a recent match against Lille OSC, Haise modified his tactics, shifting from a 4-3-3 formation to a 3-5-2 setup reminiscent of his previous coaching tenures. Unfortunately, the same defensive vulnerabilities appeared, leading to a 2-1 loss after conceding two goals from three shots on target by Lille.

Rennes’ attacking capabilities have often saved them during the season, scoring a total of 22 goals in the league, tying them for the best offensive record alongside PSG. Their key player, Lepaul, has been instrumental with seven goals in seven appearances but has recently missed three games due to an ankle sprain, raising concerns about the team’s overreliance on him.

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Without Lepaul, Rennes fell short against Lille, watching Davide Ancelotti’s side claim victory and further solidifying their position in the league—a spot Rennes had hoped to secure for themselves this season.

This week’s Ligue 1 subplots

• The pressure is mounting on Yannick Cahuzac as head coach of Lens, following a 2-1 defeat at home to Olympique de Marseille. This follows a disheartening 9-1 loss in midweek European competition, leading to scrutiny of his performance despite his close ties with the club’s sporting director. Read the full story HERE.