Caen - Stade Rennais : The final warm-up

Time to get in fighting order

After their short three day camp in Normandy, Rennes are getting ready to play their sixth and final pre-season friendly. A week from the Ligue 1 restart, Frédéric Antonetti’s players now have to up their level, something they only did intermittently since the pre-season began.

Against Legia Varsovie (1-0), Rennes showed their limits on all lines. Shaky in defence, lacking automatisms in midfield and inefficient forwards, the Bretons displayed the full extent of their deficiencies. Mainly building on their strong individualities, the “Rouge et Noir” were struggling to impose their game before players such as Yacine Brahimi, Stéphane Dalmat, Yann M’Vila and Jérome Leroy took charge during the second half.

This game against Caen is an important test for some players, who will be eager to prove their value before the encounter against Lille next week. Victor Hugo Montaño and Yann M’Vila will be banned for this game, and uncertainty remains toward the composition of the central defence. Indeed, Rod Fanni is expected to leave to Atletico Madrid in the coming days, and could leave a place in the team for Jean-Armel Kana-Biyik. In midfield, Georges Mandjeck is the favorite to replace Yann M’Vila, while many options are available for Antonetti to fill Victor Hugo Montaño’s vacant position.

The Rennes Squad

- Goalkeepers : Carrasso, Douchez, N’Diaye
- Defenders : Boye, Danzé, Fanni, Jebbour, Kana-Biyik, Mangane, Souprayen, Théophile-Catherine
- Midfielders : Brahimi, Dalmat, Doumbia, Lemoine, Leroy, M’Vila, Mandjeck, Marveaux, Tettey
- Strikers : Badiane, Bangoura, Camara, Kembo-Ekoko, Julienne, Montaño.

The Caen pre-season

Ligue 2 champions and promoted to Ligue 1, Caen is getting ready to return to the top flight after a year at the second level.

The Caennais went back to training on June 28th, and played only three friendlies during their summer preparation. After a difficult victory (5-4) against a selection of unemployed players, Franck Dumas’ squad was surprised by Le Havre (0-1) before drawing against Boulogne-sur-Mer, in a match involving Rennes midfielder Vincent Pajot, loaned to Boulogne for the coming season.

- Caen - UNFP (5-4) : Barzola (2), Mollo, Yatabaré, El Arabi
- Caen - Le Havre (0-1)
- Caen - Boulogne-sur-Mer (2-2) : Seube, Hamouma

The Caen Squad

- Goalkeepers : Bosmel, Perquis, Thébaux
- Defenders : Barzola, Heurtaux, Inez, Lazarevic, Leca, Sorbon, Tafforeau
- Midfielders : Deroin, Hamouma, Marcq, Mollo, N’Diaye, Nivet, Raineau, Seube, Van La Parra
- Strikers : El Arabi, Nabab, Traoré, Yatabaré.

Caen - Stade Rennais, friendly game, Saturday, July 31st, 19:00; Stade municipal de Ouistreham.