At the end of a completely crazy match, but where he showed too many misses, Rennes was beaten by Villarreal (3-2) on Thursday, for the last group day in the Europa League and will compete in the play-offs against a drafted player from the League champions.
The packed Roazhon Park once again experienced a memorable European evening which almost ended in jubilation, but experienced a cruel epilogue: a free kick on the bar from Enzo Le Fée and a goal refused in the process to Lorenz Assignon , in added time. On an almost unknown rule, the midfielder not having the right to recover the ball. But it would have been almost a hold-up for Rennes, who had nevertheless approached this match from a position of strength against the Spaniards who absolutely had to win to snatch their direct ticket to the round of 16.
Rennais never masters
The current lack of confidence of the Rouge et Noir quickly showed itself in a ball circulation that was too often laborious and a palpable defensive feverishness. Passes at the wrong tempo or poorly adjusted, hesitant defensive interventions and missed clearances, the Bretons only too rarely seemed in control of their football and their nerves, to the delight of their opponents.
The refereeing of the Turkish Karaoglan, very quick to use his whistle and to show the yellow cards – 6 for the first period -, also played into the hands of the Villarreal players falling at each contact on the outskirts of the opposing area .
The atmosphere quickly became electric and a peak of tension was reached around the 36th minute with a penalty awarded to the yellows after intervention by the VAR. The very experienced Gerard Moreno had no trouble deceiving Steve Mandanda (0-1, 36th).
Two more goals in quick succession
But the game had not resumed ten seconds after the kick-off when Assignon, launched on the right side, chained an oriented control, an outside hook and a small low shot which passed at an impossible angle between the legs of Pepe Reina (1-1, 37th).
We would have thought that this goal would galvanize Julien Stephan’s men for the second act, but they fell back into their mistake. A risky full-axis pass from Nemanja Matic gave Alex Baena a first opportunity to punish Rennes’ mistakes, but Mandanda came out well at his feet (53rd). The captain, however, could do nothing, 10 minutes later, on a shot from Ilias Akhomach slightly deflected by Arthur Theate (1-2, 63rd).
Stephan played his all, abandoning his 3-4-3 for a sort of 4-2-4, and Ludovic Blas gave his team hope with a precise strike from 20 meters (2-2, 79th), before that Daniel Parejo, at the conclusion of a superb collective action, gives the last word to the visitors (80th). In February, Rennes will face Galatasaray, Benfica, Braga, Feyenoord Rotterdam, AC Milan, Young Boys Berne or Shakhtar Donetsk who eliminated them at the same stage last year, on penalties (2-1, 1 -2, 5-4 on tabs).