Stade Rennes was beaten dryly in Lyon by a team stronger than him, which reminded players of the reality of this unreal season. Were the emotions felt ten days ago during the victory against Nantes the last of the season for Stade Rennes? Probably. This victory was seen as the last thrill of a rocking season, during which Rennes was assured of having nothing more to play three days from the end.
Seko Fofana summed up the contradiction of the end of the season in one sentence after the game: “We mustn’t spoil this end of the season, and I look forward to starting all this again this summer, after a cut that will do good.” However, it is difficult to prepare the next season while everything has been upset since last summer. The president, the board of directors, the sports director, the coach, the staff and the players have all been renewed for a patchwork season which is a continuation acquired later than usual.
The dynamics have been different since January with the arrival of Habib Beye and many new players, but the team remains powerless against the better ranked teams. The hinge was completely renewed (Jacquet, Rouault, Brassier), as well as the guard (Samba) and midfielder (Fofana). The attackers struggle to settle in front (Al-Tamari, Furuhashi or Meïté alongside Kalimuendo), making the team unrecognizable compared to three months ago.
The coach pointed to defensive attitudes as missing, and it is difficult to make him wrong because it is precisely on this point that the Rennes season turned: his ability to defend well. Once again on Saturday, in front of him was nothing, like a Kalimuendo engulfed. Winter reinforcements have not been up to date and today the team can only count on its collective strength and block projection.
None of the offensive elements showed an ability to take things in hand, while in front of each Lyon attacker proved that it was possible. The system is once again at the heart of the debates in Rennes, but how can we envisage an end of the season other than three in hinge when the basis of winter reinforcement was precisely these three players?
These last games are hard to read for Stade Rennes, which has nothing to play and has not played anything on Saturday. With Toulouse, Nice and Marseille, the SRFC still does not seem able to push a team ahead. But after a season deemed endless by the fans, three games in the waiting room, it’s still very long."