At Roazhon Park.
“But if, but if, Rennes will win”. We prefer to warn you, we will do some publicity for a Rennes real estate developer. But apart from the Blot communicators who surfed on the arrival of Lionel Messi (But if… You have it?) To appear on the billboards of Roazhon Park, few people saw the Stade Rennais win against Paris on Sunday. The rest, you know it. Messi’s free kick was repelled by Gomis’ cross, the recovery of an excellent Gaëtan Laborde crucified Donnaruma and Flavien Tait’s second pawn completed the Rennes success. In difficulty since the start of the season, Bruno Genesio’s men have achieved the unthinkable by inflicting the invincible PSG his first defeat of the season. Rennes stronger than Manchester City so …
At kick-off, however, we doubted the chances of Rennes. First because they had played three days earlier in the Netherlands (2-1 victory in Arnhem). Then because part of their ultras were absent this Sunday for a story of tarpaulin theft. But above all because their defense had been in great pain since the start of the season and it was legitimate to worry about the dream quartet Messi, Neymar, Mbappé and Di Maria. Author of an XXL performance, Stade Rennais has yet deprived Paris of a ninth victory in a row in Ligue 1 thanks to a game plan respected to the letter. Conquerors and without complexes, Bruno Genesio’s men displayed a collective solidarity which gave them three points. “When you play like that, you can hurt big teams. We played together. On a collective level, on self-sacrifice, there is something to be proud of. We must keep these values, ”summarized Flavien Tait after the meeting.
Like its midfielder, impressive Sunday, Rennes undoubtedly delivered its best game of the season. A success that Bruno Genesio was able to acquire by offering a real 4-4-2 tailored to take advantage of Parisian defensive largesse. Preferring Omari to Badé and Terrier to Guirassy, the former OL coach has undoubtedly drawn his eleven type. “We have found associations, a system that works well. Yes, there is a typical team that emerges. The system is working well. Martin and Gaëtan are working well. Biggy (Meling) and Sulemana, it works well, it’s true. But that does not mean that those who are not on the field will no longer play, ”assures Pep Genesio, who beat PSG for the fourth time on Sunday.
Anyone who paid a fortune to see stars at #SRFCPSG were right. Tait flamboyant, Sulemana dynamiter, Bourigeaud in Europe mode, Gomis in rock, Laborde as a serial scorer, Martin as a warrior … it was the @Rennais Stadium Oscars fashion pic.twitter.com/uukn3rIj62
– Stef78 🔴⚫ (@ Stef7815) October 3, 2021
On Sunday, Stade Rennais was above all surprised by not refusing the game, playing the cons thoroughly without thinking of the four rockets that could take off behind their backs. “I really appreciated the offensive risk-taking even if sometimes it created imbalances. The few times we were less organized, we were punished. But it was a risk that had to be taken. I told the players before the game. We had to take risks, even if it meant having a large defeat, ”says Genesio.
“It was a bit of the Playstation”
Carried by a Gaëtan Laborde top scorer in Ligue 1 and a Jonas Martin in full revival, Rennes displays a mixture of youth and experience and can now look ahead. “With Martin (Terrier), we begin to understand the automatisms. I think we can do something good this season, even if we had a delay in the ignition, ”said Laborde, six goals this season (including three with Montpellier).
Unable to kill the match in Bordeaux where they had lost two points, the Bretons this time knew how to materialize their opportunities, including when they were in the hard. Released by Gaëtan Laborde’s goal which scuttled the morale of Parisians, Stade Rennais recited his football to score a sumptuous school goal on the start of the second half. “It was a bit of the Playstation”, slips Flavien Tait laughing, before specifying. “It’s a request from the coach. Everyone projects. The coach asks us to have three, four or five players in the box. Because that’s where the goals are ”. Lucid. If they had been more tricksters, the locals could even have registered more when Paris ran after the score.
Back in contact with some big guys with twelve points on the clock, the Reds and Blacks fully intend to take advantage of the break to fine-tune their settings. And reintegrate two important elements on the flank for weeks. Injured, Jérémy Doku and Lovro Majer will be candidates for an incumbent position. The eleven guy is not that frozen.