Stade Rennes remains in the race

« We don’t have much right to error.” In the press conference this Thursday, Julien Féret recognises that his team, now in sixth position, will have to compensate for the points lost against Marseille. His speech is assured however. “We need to bounce back, he continues. And with time, we will have less and less right to error. » Indeed, this is the sort of context Stade Rennes will have to get used to, if they want to stick with the league’s leading teams.

This Saturday, the Bretons are facing a difficult trip at Ligue 1’s thirteenth, in the icy climate of Nancy. “We know that we will have the ball. We will have to be accurate on our attacks and avoid being punished on the counter-attacks”, Frédéric Antonetti predicts.

"We are good enough"

This week, he watched the game against OM with his squad. “We showed much quality and managed an hour of accomplished and encouraging football”, Julien Féret notes. What was Rennes lacking? “Experience” and “efficiency”, according to him.

« Looking at the game, when we see what we did, we feel we are good enough, his manager continues. This has to be converted into results, there are still a few settings to find.” Frédéric Antonetti’s main regret : the management of difficult times. « Marseille’s experience played an important role. In our weaker times, we make mistakes, they don’t. » All in all, the Rennes performance remains positive in Frédéric Antonetti’s eyes four days later: “We are not yet ready to compete with the others, but the gap is reducing.”

Erding and a stronger squad

As a result, the ambitions haven’t been reduced. Far from it. “Nothing is lost, Julien Féret assures. Even third place remains accessible. We are able to stick with the teams above us.” And, according to him, to compete with Lyon or Marseille. Last week, Yann M’Vila underlined that he believes his team able to manage “third place and the Champions’ league”.

This confident feeling is also based on the strength of a group which has been strongly enhanced by the arrival of Mevlut Erding. To Julien Féret, this is a sign that the club wants to “reach another step”. “Mevlut is a massive boost for the rest of the season and the years to come”, he affirms after having seen him in match and in training. “We can’t do any better in terms of squad, with our current means and considering our sportive policy, Frédéric Antonetti affirms. We wait for this squad to reach full maturity and to get regular results.”

Before playing three games in a week (Nancy and Sochaux in Ligue 1 and Evian-Thonon in the Coupe de France on Tuesday), Stade Rennes is also enjoying the return of two key players, Jonathan Pitroipa and Kader Mangane, back from the African Cup of Nations and both able to play this Saturday.

Nicolas Auffray - Le Mensuel de Rennes

- Photo : www.rennes.lemensuel.com