At the second preparatory meeting between Stade Rennais and Stade Brestois in Dinan, Habib Beye, the Rennes coach, expressed deep concern about his team’s state of mind. He stressed a release after the first thirty minutes of the first act, characterized by a lack of will and athletic investment. Beye cautioned against repeating these behaviours in the home game and noted that, despite a return to the score of 2-2 after being led 0-2, mindset issues remained predominant. He also criticized the lack of tactical adaptability and the insufficient commitment of some players, suggesting that he would not tolerate indiscipline and would be willing to look for other players if necessary.

Concerning the game system, Beye explained that the choice of a three-player scheme was motivated by a better ability of the players to evolve in this configuration, although it recognized shortcomings in terms of aggressiveness. He highlighted the difficulties encountered in the second part of the first game in the air duels and stressed the need to improve this aspect, either by individuality or by the game system. He also deplored a lack of races and commitment, regretting the team’s lack of physical and tactical preparation. This frustrated reaction shows a coach concerned about the lack of progress and the lack of combativity displayed by his team.

The meeting with Brest confirmed these concerns, with Stade Rennais bowing 0-2 despite a notable improvement in the second period with a tactical change and a new team composition. Although the team managed to score at the end of the game, thanks to Yildiirim’s goal and Faye’s lead, it was not enough to reverse the course of the game. This defeat highlights the continuing weaknesses of Stade Rennais, particularly in attack, defense and midfield. The expectation is therefore strong as to the summer mercato, with rumours about the arrival of several players, including Frankowski, Merlin, Saint-Maximin and Rongiers, in the hope of redressing the situation and regaining the lost competitiveness in recent seasons.