Stade Rennais - Legia Warsaw : Return to the winning ways

Some imperfections remain

After a pre-season beginning with a draw to Nantes (1-1) and a rather flattering victory over Laval (3-0), Rennes could not continue this streak when opposed to teams playing in the same league as them.

Brest and Lorient brought Frédéric Antonetti’s men back to reality. The link between these teams? Both are Ligue 1 sides, as opposed to Laval and Nantes, playing in the second level. Will the 2010-2011 be ready when the League restarts?

Questions deserve to be asked, and Antonetti’s recent statements were not showing real serenity coming from Rennes. After the defeat to Brest (0-1), the Corsican coach showed a very sceptical face regarding his group’s competitiveness, couple of weeks away from the Ligue 1 return, against Lille on August 7th: "I know it already. We won’t be ready in start for the League’s first game week", he regretted in theMensuel de Rennes.

With these words, did Antonetti want to provocate a reaction from his players, as some of his predecessors would have done? If he did, success was not obvious during the next friendly game lost against Lorient (1-2), judging on the result only. However, the manager told of his "satisfaction" regarding his team’s performance on the pitch, although the consistent "lack of realism" his team has been showing is getting him nervous since the summer preparation started.

One thing is certain: the youngest players are bringing renewed energy to the squad, players such as Yacine Brahimi and Abdoul Camara should be often used during the season, to bring their insouciance to Rennes’ attacking line. Last Saturday, against Lorient, it was Frank Julienne’s turn to play his first minutes with the professional. Trained as a left winger, also able to play in a central position, the little striker was the best goal scorer for Rennes’ Reserve team last season, with 6 goals to his name. Only Samuel Souprayen starts with guarantees, and with a starting place already cemented on the left side of the “Rouge et Noir”’s defence.

With Lille in mind

As opposed to the first friendly games, Antonetti had brought a few changes to his starting line-up in the first half against Lorient. The manager decided not to include Yann M’Vila and Victor Hugo Montaño in the first-half squad, to prepare the First Ligue 1 game against Lille in ten days.

Indeed, the French U21 international and the Colombian striker will be suspended for this first game. Also bearing in mind he will have to do without Onyekachi Apam and Asamoah Gyan, currently going through physical preparation before returning to the squad. Antonetti brought Badiane on the right wing to replace Kembo-Ekoko (hamstring). However, the latter should be the first choice in the coach’s mind. At midfield, Antonetti chose to start with Mandjeck as an anchor midfield, with Stéphane Dalmat and Fabien Lemoine at center midfield.

Against Legia Warsaw, Rennes will face a team which has already met two French top flight teams during their summer preparation. After a heavy defeat to Bordeaux (4-1), the “Legioniści” managed an encouraging draw against Paris Saint-Germain (2-2). In July 2006, Rennes and the Legua Warsaw had already met in a friendly, and the “Rouge et Noir” had lost despite a goal by Daniel Moreira. Since this game, only Bira Dembélé, Romain Danzé, Jirès Kembo-Ekoko, Sylvain Marveaux and Cheick N’Diaye remain in Rennes. In Warsaw, Dickson Choto and Miroslav Radović are the only two players still present at the club.

Fourth of the last local championship, the Polish have got a few quality players, such as Alejandro Cabral, an attacking midfielder winner of the 2007 U20 World Cup with Sergio Aguero, Angel Di Maria or Mauro Zarate. Chinese striker Dong Fangzhuo is known for his spell at Manchester United (2006-2007) when he entered the Premier League pitches 3 times with the Red Devils. Also, Croatian international goalkeeper Marijan Antolović (21 y/o), a target of Rennes before the recruitment of Johann Carrasso, will be present in the Warsaw goals.

The Squads

Uncertainty remains over Kembo-Ekoko, unavailable last week-end and still feeling of his hamstring injury. Last Monday, the U21 French international was limited to physical work along with Apam, Gyan and Tettey (Thigh). As in the previous friendlies, Antonetti should proceed to a complete turnover of his team, giving all his players time on the pitch.

- Stade Rennais : Carrasso, Douchez, N’Diaye - Boye, Danzé, Dembélé, Fanni, Jebbour, Kana-Biyik, Mangane, Souprayen, Théophile-Catherine - Brahimi, Dalmat, Doumbia, Lemoine, Leroy, M’Vila, Mandjeck, Marveaux, Oniangue, Tettey - Badiane, Bangoura, Camara, Kembo-Ekoko, Julienne, Montaño.
Coach : Frédéric Antonetti

Against Rennes, Skorża’s men play their eighth friendly game (two wins, three draws and two defeats). After a tour in the United States, with a convincing win over Red Star Belgrade, Legia Warsaw set up the end of their pre-season in France, organising their training-camp in Carnac.

- Legia Warsaw : Antolović, Makhnovskyy, Szumski - Astiz, Choto, Jędrzejczyk, Kiełbowicz, Kneżević, Komorowski, Rzeźniczak, Wawrzyniak - Banasiak, Borysiuk, Cabral, Giza, Iwański, Manu, Radović, Rybus, Szałachowski, Vrdoljak, Żyro - Chinyama, Dong, Górski Kucharczyk, Mezenga.
Coach : Maciej Skorża

- Stade Rennais - KP Legia Warsaw, friendly game, Wednesday, July 28th, 18h00, Stade de la Route de Lorient. Live on Stade Rennais Online.