2020/2021 LIGUE 1 PREVIEW GUIDE - STADE RENNAIS
KEY MAN M’BAYE NIANG
While most observers would point to the prodigious midfield sensation Eduardo Camavinga as being the key to Rennes season, given his preternatural ability to control a match, it is Niang on whom this season’s fortunes will rise and fall. The club have brought in an ideal foil for him in Martin Terrier, who has greater pace and scoring instincts when compared with Niang’s regular strike partner Adrien Hunou, and offers a far more physical (and defensively hard-working) complement to the former Milan striker. But the finishing will still be down to Niang - his goal return of ten, from 24 starts, was decent enough, but Rennes will have surely hoped for more from a player who cost €14m. If he can play with a modicum of consistency, perhaps edging his goals total closer to twenty, Rennes can assure themselves of another top three finish, but if he stumbles, things could sour quickly.
SIGNING TO WATCH: MARTIN TERRIER
Terrier’s return of six goals in 35 appearances for Lyon last year will hardly have turned the heads, but keener eyes will recognise that the former Lille man was mis-used by Rudi Garcia last season, on top of the fact that he was faced with competition from Memphis Depay on the left side of Les Gones’ attack. However, at Rennes, with the team set to play a 4-4-2, he is far more likely to be used centrally, taking over the second striker role that was often given, almost by default, to Adrien Hunou or Romain Del Castillo last season. With Terrier not only good in the air but accustomed to working as a foil for a more orthodox striker, the potential for a very fruitful relationship between he and M’Baye Niang looms. His versatility and positional intelligence means he will likely be used on the left at times as well. As Rennes hope to make a better impression in the Champions’ League than their predecessor, Lille did, that will no doubt be key as well.
SQUAD ANALYSIS
Rennes have been a neutral’s favourite of late - their thrilling win over Real Betis in 2018/19’s Europa League, followed by a gripping tie against Arsenal, were things of pure exultation, to say nothing of their Coupe de France title in 2019. It’s difficult, too, to root against Camavinga, whose maturity on the pitch is beyond his years, or manager Julien Stéphan, whose fresh-faced charm belies a consummate and clever tactician whose systems work without obvious stars, no mean feat in French football. The club’s summer business has been canny, with Martin Terrier an upgrade at centre forward and Nayef Aguerd adding depth in defence - one might take issue with allowing Souleyman Doumbia to depart for Angers, but youngster Adrien Truffert, a French U-19 international, may be ready to deputise for Faitout Maouassa. Elsewhere, the return to full fitness for the underrated Jonas Martin will give the team a more mobile option to partner Camavinga against particular opponents, while Flavien Tait should prove more influential as well, the former Angers man himself having struggled with injury last season.
STRENGTHS
Depth is far and away the most impressive of the Breton side’s assets. Having plucked Nayef Aguerd from Dijon, they have two capable players in every single position on the pitch. This should allow Rennes to balance what is shaping to be a busy fixture list as they navigate the Champions’ League. Last season’s standouts, including Camavinga, Hamari Traoré and the improving Raphinha, who looked to finally be justifying his price tag when the season came to a close, should make the next step up, allowing Rennes to convincingly fight on multiple fronts.
WEAKNESSES
Central defence has the requisite amount of depth, but with Joris Gnagnon having not made his loan return permanent, the team still lack quality in that area. That said, not counting Reims & PSG, Rennes had the best defence in 2019/20 in Ligue 1 and have conceded just twice in five pre-season matches. However, the lower calibre of their opposition in the preparation period should also be considered in that assessment. Overall, though, it’s difficult to poke holes in this side - one could quibble over Niang being of the requisite quality for the Champions’ League, but he is certainly more than capable of reaching double digits in Ligue 1 once more.
VERDICT
Rennes may go missing on some nights when it comes to putting the ball in the net, but this team’s collective ethos and tactical flexibility are unrivalled. In Camavinga they have a player who is the envy of every big club the world over, and in Stéphan they have a manager who is one of the best young coaches in Europe. This season’s Champions’ League campaign may cost them a shot at another, but they will remain a difficult opponent on any given evening domestically.
PREDICTED FINISH: 5th
SQUAD LIST
NAME POSITION NATIONALITY AGE AT CLUB SINCE FORMER CLUB
Édouard Mendy GK Senegalese 28 2019/2020 Stade de Reims
Pépé Bonet GK French 17 2019/2020 -
Romain Salin GK French 36 2019/2020 Sporting Club
Faitout Maouassa LB French 22 2017/2018 AS Nancy
Namakoro Diallo LB French 24 2016/2017 -
Adrien Truffert LB French 18 2020/2021 -
Jérémy Gelin CB French 23 2017/2018 -
Nayef Aguerd CB Moroccan 24 2020/2021 Dijon FCO
Damien Da Silva CB French 32 2018/2019 SM Caen
Gerzino Nyamsi CB French 23 2018/2019 -
Hamari Traoré RB Malian 28 2017/2018 Stade de Reims
Sacha Boey RB French 19 2019/2020 -
Steven Nzonzi DM French 31 2019/2020 AS Roma
Eduardo Camavinga CM French 17 2018/2019 -
Benjamin Bourigeaud CM French 26 2017/2018 RC Lens
Clément Grenier CM French 29 2018/2019 EA Guingamp
James Léa Siliki CM French 24 2017/2018 -
Jonas Martin CM French 30 2019/2020 RC Strasbourg
Yann Gboho AM French 19 2019/2020 -
Martin Terrier LW/CF French 23 2020/2021 Olympique Lyonnais
Flavien Tait LW French 27 2019/2020 Angers SCO
Lucas Da Cunha LW French 19 2019/2020 -
Raphinha RW Brazilian 23 2019/2020 Sporting Club
Romain Del Castillo RW French 24 2019/2020 Olympique Lyonnais
M’Baye Niang CF Senegalese 25 2018/2019 Torino
Adrien Hunou CF French 26 2013/2014 -
Jordan Siebatcheu CF French 24 2018/2019 Stade de Reims
Georginio Rutter CF French 18 2020/2021 -
Julien Stéphan Manager French 39 2018/2019 -
Olivier Létang President French 49 2017/2018 -
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