Rennes’ run of good form continues

- The good home form continues :
By beating Lens, Stade Rennais stretch their run of home victories to seven. Even better, Frédéric Antonetti’s team has only conceded one goal during the last six games of this streak.
To find a longer run of consecutive wins, it takes a return to the 2004-2005 season. Laszlo Bölöni’s Rennes had then won eight home games in a row, eventually clinching fourth position in the league and qualifying for the UEFA Cup.

- The defence reshuffled again:
With the return of Jean-Armel Kana-Biyik, Frédéric Antonetti was offered another solution in defence. The Corsican manager could have decided for a defensive line made of Danzé - Kana-Biyik - Théophile-Catherine – Souprayen, which had proven solid against PSG at the beginning of the month, but John Boye’s recent performances convinced Antonetti to try yet another pair of centre-backs.
With Boye starting alongside Kana-Biyik, Samuel Souprayen returned to the bench while Kévin Théophile-Catherine started at left back. Whatever happens, the partnerships change but the results remain the same: For the thirteenth time in twenty-five match days, Rennes’ defence managed to hold the clean sheet.

- Without Camara for once :
Including in the starting XI in Toulouse, Abdoul Camara was left on the bench by Frédéric Antonetti this time, with Razak Boukari starting on the left wing. During the game, the young French-Guinean didn’t come in either, with the manager preferring to replace Victor Hugo Montaño with John Verhoek.
It is the first time since Nice-Rennes on September 25th, 2010 that Camara doesn’t take part in a Ligue 1 game. Since then, the Rennes attacker had started four games and came off the bench thirteen times.

- Lens and Nice, same storyline :
There are a few similituds in Stade Rennes’ last two home games, against Nice and Lens. Beyond the score, identical (2-0), one would note that in both games, the goals were scored by Razak Boukari and Victor Hugo Montaño. Also as against Nice, Jérôme Leroy provided the assist on the Colombian international’s striker.

- Boos for Eduardo :
Left on the bench by Laszlo Bölöni, Brazilian striker Eduardo came in during the second half, a few minutes before Montaño’s goal. The arrival of the former Guingamp man caused gibes from the Rennes fans, who remember too well his role in Stade Rennes’ disaster at the Stade de France. During the late stages of the match, Eduardo received whistles every time he touched the ball.

- Boukari, against his former team-mates :
It is not unusual to see players scoring against their former team. Razak Boukari did not miss the occasion to respect the tradition, scoring a splendid curled shot in Runje’s goal top corner to put Rennes in the lead.
Before the game, the Togolese announced he wouldn’t celebrate if he was to score against his former team-mates… And he held his promise. After the game, Boukari was even telling of his disappointment for his former team. “I’m moving on from Lens, I’m here now, he explained. But it is true, that after the game I was a bit disappointed for my former team-mates. But I’m a professional, I couldn’t make them any presents”.
Since his arrival early January, the striker didn’t disappoint. This Saturday, he scored his fourth goals in all competitions with Stade Rennes, all within nine games.

- Fair-play, Stade Rennes :
exemplary in recent times in terms of discipline, Stade Rennais is more and more contradicting their image of a very physical teams that commits lots of fouls. After the 25th game week, Rennes is the Ligue 1 team that received the least yellow cards, equal to Brest (33 warnings).
During the last ten games, all competitions included, Rennes have only received six yellow cards, to which the red card received by Douchez in Sochaux must be added however. This Saturday, only Victor Hugo Montaño was booked by M. Piccirillo... for celebrating his goal by removing his shirt.

- Antonetti congratulates his players :
Although he remained mainly measured, Frédéric Antonetti congratulated his players during the post-match press conference. “There have been very good things, as when we transmitted the ball quickly and managed to unbalance the opposition and end up shooting at the goal, the Rennes manager noted. I must congratulate the players as the victory was deserved, and could have been even bigger without a great game by Runje, and some clumsiness from us too. At the back, we were very solid”.

- Sources: lequipe.fr, ouest-france.fr
- Photo : srfc.frenchwill.fr