LIGUE 1 PREVIEW | Ambitious Rennes set sights on Champions League qualification

For the sixth consecutive season, Rennes will have to strike the right balance between domestic duties and continental competitions. Courtesy of their fourth-place finish – helped in that regard by Lille’s final-day slip-up and AS Monaco’s self-destruction – Les Rouge et Noir have qualified for the ever-competitive Europa League group stage.

Nevertheless, the club’s Sporting Director Florian Maurice – a former France international striker who came to prominence as a shrewd executive at Lyon – seems to be growing tired of Thursday-night football. At the start of pre-season, Maurice was abundantly clear: Rennes would need to better their fourth-place finish with a view to qualify for the newly-expanded 36-club Champions League.

Three years ago, the Bretons’ first and last participation in Europe’s premier club competition did not go well. They were drawn in a group packed with European expertise – eventual tournament winners Chelsea, serial Europa League champions Sevilla FC and plucky Russian side Krasnodar. Rennes were overwhelmed as well as under-experienced and finished bottom with a single point.

Now, Rennes look a whole different beast entirely. Head coach Bruno Genesio has made Rennes one of the most entertaining and free-flowing teams in Ligue 1. Genesio and Maurice – who were colleagues in their Lyon days – are working together in apparent harmony, the latter having rewarded the former with a contract extension last year.

To match the club’s ambitions, Rennes had no choice but to flex their financial muscle in the transfer market. The club owned by luxury mogul and French billionaire François Pinault has done just that, and very early too. Stade Rennais have splashed a combined €40m to lure sought-after attacking midfielder Enzo Le Fée and versatile forward Ludovic Blas, respectively from Brittany-based rivals Lorient and Nantes. Following in the footsteps of Eduardo Camavinga, Mathys Tel and Ousmane Dembélé, promising 19-year-old midfielder Lesley Ugochukwu is the latest gem coming through the ranks of the Rennes Academy to join a top-tier European club. However, Génésio has promised that the new Chelsea player would be replaced from within the Rennes squad.

From now on to deadline day, the Bretons would be wise to sign an experienced striker, considering free-scoring centre-forward Martin Terrier may not return to his commanding best following his season-ending ACL injury back in January. Rennes are reportedly keeping tabs on Strasbourg striker Habib Diallo, who scored 20 goals last season with the Alsatians.

So far, Rennes’ pre-season is very promising. They dominated West Ham United 3-1 in front of a 26,000-strong Roazhon Park and blew away Nottingham Forest 5-0 at St. George’s Park. Head coach Génésio admits that his team is currently way ahead of schedule compared to last year’s pre-season. The former Lyon manager is entering his third full season with Les Rouge et Noir in high spirits, and the Rennes fans are too. It remains to be seen whether Stade Rennais would be able to shine in Ligue 1 as well as compete in their Europa League group for the first months of the campaign.

Player to watch – Enzo Le Fée

The creative and press-resistant midfielder was poised to leave Lorient and join a club abroad, with Eintracht Frankfurt, Bayer Leverkusen, Borussia Dortmund and Serie A champions Napoli all linked to Le Fée. However, the U21 France international only had to travel 100 miles east of Lorient to find his new home.

Head coach Bruno Génésio and Sporting advisor Florian Maurice had quickly identified Le Fée as the ideal technically-gifted and bright midfield operator they were looking for. The 23-year-old was sold on the sporting project he was offered and put pen to paper on a five-year deal, after Lorient and Rennes agreed upon a €25m total transfer package. “I came here to continue to grow”, Le Fée said during his unveiling. “There are still many great things to do to improve Stade Rennais. The team plays the football I like. I have everything here to enjoy my football with this squad.”

Le Fée can flourish in a double pivot in a 4-2-3-1 formation and perform just as well as the right-sided attacking midfielder when playing in a 4-3-3. As a former midfielder himself, Genesio will relish the opportunity to coach such a brilliant versatile player entering his peak years. Le Fée’s arrival is not only a marquee signing, it is a statement of intent that underlines Rennes’ grand ambitions.

GFFN | Bastien Cheval