Around the Derby

- The Coupe de la Ligue (still) doesn’t smile to Rennes:

This is no mystery, the Stade Rennais has an issue with the Coupe de la Ligue. In 17 participations, the best performance by the “Rouge et Noir” in this competition is a semi-final in 2001-2002. Apart for this, Rennes was knocked out in the first round 8 times, and 5 times in the second.

However, Rennes had not known such a precocious elimination since October 26, 2005. Rennes had lost at Montpellier, then in Ligue 2. On that night, a striker named Victor Hugo Montaño came in as a substitute for the Herault team.

- Knockaert, as in the Gambardella :

A Guingamp player is starting to like the Stade Rennais, this is young striker Anthony Knockaert. He scored the equaliser just after entering the pitch as a substitute in the first half, he also has the particularity to have scored a goal in a Cup game against the Stade Rennais last season… In the Gambardella Cup (U18).

On this occasion, his goal wasn’t enough to help the Armoricans, and Guingamp went on to lose by two goals to one, with a last minute goal by Frank Julienne, on the bench this Wednesday at the Roudourou.

- Disappointing Attendance :
On Wednesday, the regional press announced a potential attendance of up to 12,000 spectators. Eventually, only a bit less than 8,000 were seating in the Roudourou. A slightly disappointing attendance for a derby.

- Kembo, sixth:

By scoring the game’s opening goal, Jirès Kembo Ekoko scored his sixth professional goal with Rennes. His second in the Coupe de la Ligue, after the one he scored against Le Mans in September 2008. He had scored for the last time on March 20th this year, against Toulouse in the League (4-1).

- A war of the Words in the stands...

The rivalry is rather dormant since a few years, but the fans from Rennes and Guingamp did not miss on the ritual banners that give the spice to regional derbies. In reference to Guingamp’s recent relegation, Rennes opened the game with a banner asking “Et le National, c’est de la balle?” (“How’s the National going? Enjoying it?”).

For Guingamp, the victory was an inevitable chance to remind Rennes of the 2009 Coupe de France final. A banner proclaiming « C’est nous qu’on a encore gagné » (i.e.: The grammar is purposely incorrect and the sentence could be translated into “It’s us that we won again”) was displayed after the winning goal by Diallom in reference to the words of a Rennes supporter, famous for his teary after-the-final interview (video).

- ... but everyone against the LFP:

There was one ground of agreement between the Guingamp and Rennes kops however, the criticism against the LFP (French Professional League) and their “special competition”. As announced before the game in a Press Release, the Roazhon Celtic Kop displayed a banner claiming that “Football isn’t a merchandise”, while in the opposite stand, the Kop Rouge replied LFP: Too much money kills the passion”

- Night of Premieres :

As often in Coupe de la Ligue evenings, chance was given to some players to prove their ability. Yesterday, while three players appeared for the first time in the professional squad but remained on the bench (Yassine Jebbour, Frank Julienne and Kamal Issah), three others celebrated their first professional start with Rennes: Johann Carrasso, Samuel Souprayen and Abdoul Camara.

Of these three, only Camara had already played with Rennes in Ligue 1: Last Sunday at the Parc des Princes, and on May 30th, 2009 in Marseille.

- Leroy applauded :
The Guingamp spectators remember the players that once helped their team. After one hour in the game, as he was replaced by Montaño, Jérôme Leroy received a nice ovation from his former supporters. Talking to Le Télégramme yesterday, he admitted he was returning to Le Roudourou for the first time since he left in 2004, and said he had found in Guingamp a “particular atmosphere, familial and festive” ideal to re-launch his career.