Stade Rennais - Lille: Let’s start on a good note

Squad Test

More than a simple game, the « Rouge et Noir » will be facing a genuine test at the Route de Lorient this Saturday. Short of confidence coming out of the pre-season friendlies, Rennes hosts Lille in their den with the firm intention to give it all out, despite all the worries looming over the Rennes locker-room since the preparation began.

This week-end, Rennes just can’t enter the pitch as victims, and the players are expected to up their game when facing one of the best sides on the national league. Serenity however, seems a world away from Antonetti at the moment: "I expect the squad to show real determination”, “Lille will be a tough opposition”, he declared to the Mensuel de Rennes

Without Onyekachi Apam, Asamoah Gyan, Victor Hugo Montaño, Yann M’Vila and Alexander Tettey, the Rennes coach is working blindfolded to try and compose a competitive team in the early stages of this season. Still to achieve its full potential, the Rennes squad is expected to improve gradually over the next few weeks, as all players come back to the team.

Against them, a revenge thirsty Lille side will come to Rennes with the firm intention to get over last seasons cruel deception. A whisker away from the Champions League play-off qualification, Lille stumbled on the last step, and left the third place to Auxerre. In the relegation zone after 8 game weeks, the Nordics then recovered, playing with one of the most attractive styles in the country.

With arguably the best midfield in Ligue 1, Rudi Garcia will have to deal without Yohan Cabaye for this first game, but he can still rely on an impressive strike force, with players such as Gervinho, Eden Hazard, and Moussa Sow, just signed on a free transfer from Rennes. Last season, Lille scored no less than 72 goals over the season!

As opposed to their opponent, Lille have a nearly unchanged squad this summer, and the Nordic manager Rudy Garcia doesn’t have the same worries as his Rennes counterpart. Just a tall order, or is this turning into an impossible mission?

Stade Rennais - Lille: Game Facts

- Four players missing for Rennes : Against Lille, Onyekachi Apam (unfit), Victor Hugo Montaño (suspension), Yann M’Vila (suspension) and Alexander Tettey (thigh) will miss the launch of this new season.

- Three for Lille: Yohan Cabaye, Aurélien Chedjou and Emil Lyng are not included in the Lille squad travelling to Brittany. The first two will be suspended, while the Danish striker suffers with a strained muscle.

- Brahimi in the starting eleven: This was a very open secret, but the attacking midfielder should start against Lille this Saturday. Interviewed on the club’s website, Brahimi spilled the beans, two days before the game: “I’m questioning myself quite a lot: This will be my first Ligue 1 start, and there is still a big expectation for results”.

- Gervinho in the squad: rested during the week, Gervinho will be present against Rennes. According to the latest information however, he should be starting from the bench.

- Sow Returns : Two months after he left the Stade Rennais, Moussa Sow is already on his way back to the Route de Lorient. In June, Sow refused to extend his contract after failing to agree with the club on his wages, and subsequently left on a free transfer.

Stade Rennais - Lille: The squads

Frédéric Antonetti published a squad of 18 players to host Lille this Saturday. Without a few key players, he included Gyan even though the Ghanaian hasn’t played a single minute in the friendly games since he came back on July 26th. In defence, a slight doubt remains on the left back position, where Souprayen and Théophile-Catherine could be on the balance. At midfield, the Corsican manager is expected to line up the same trio as during the final friendly against Caen, with Lemoine behind Dalmat and Leroy. Forwards, Brahimi and Marveaux will do their best to put Bangoura in goal scoring position.

- Goalkeepers: Carrasso, Douchez
- Defenders: Danzé, Fanni, Kana-Biyik, Mangane, Souprayen, Théophile-Catherine
- Midfielders: Brahimi, Dalmat, Doumbia, Lemoine, Leroy, Mandjeck, Marveaux
- Forwards: Bangoura, Gyan, Kembo-Ekoko

• Injured : Tettey (thigh)
• Banned : M’Vila, Montaño
• Manager’s decision : Badiane, Boye, Camara, Dembélé, Jebbour, Julienne, N’Diaye

With Chedjou missing, Beria will feature alongside Rami at centre back. Lille is expected to play with two holding midfielders (Balmont – Mavuba) backing a free role playmaker, Hazard. Forwards, Obraniak and Sow should play on the wings while Garcia hasn’t given his preference between Frau and De Melo to play centre-forward.
- Goalkeepers: Landreau, Mouko
- Defenders: Béria, Debuchy, Emerson, Plestan, Rami, Souaré, Vandam
- Midfielders: Balmont, Dumont, Gueye, Mavuba, Obraniak
- Forwards: De Melo, Frau, Gervinho, Hazard, Sow

• injured : Lyng (strained muscle)
• Banned : Cabaye, Chedjou
• Manager’s decision : Baherle, Baseya, Digne, Oukidja, Salibur, Souquet, Touré

Lille’s Pre-season

- Transfers: a model of continuity

The 2010-2011 transfer market was barely perceptible in Lille, with the only Moussa Sow to join Rudi Garcia’s squad this summer. Qualified for the next Europa League, Lille managed to keep their best players (Cabaye, Mavuba, Rami) despite a huge interest from other clubs.
No important departures either, although the Lille staff would have liked to keep Ricardo Costa in the Nord.

• Players in: Baseya (Le Havre, back from loan), Fauvergue (Strasbourg, back from loan), Lyng (Zulte-Waregem, BEL, back from loan), Sow (Rennes).

• Players out: Altama (Dijon), Aubameyang (Milan AC, back from loan), Benzerga (Nantes), Butelle (Nîmes, loan), Fauvergue (Sedan, loan), Franquart (Charleroi, BEL, loan), Ricardo Costa (Valencia CF, ESP), Rivierez (Le Havre), Vittek (Ankaragücû, TUR).

- Ambitions: All eyes on the TOP 3!

Lille narrowly missed the third place last season, after a defeat to Lorient (1-3) on the last game week. They will now strive to confirm, and should certainly play a role in the title race. Strong in all lines, Lille can rely on quality players such as Landreau, Rami, Mavuba and Hazard to try and snatch a podium finish at the end of this season.

- The Danger Man: Eden Hazard

Twice the players’ best young player of the year, Eden Hazard’s career is reaching a turning point. Rarely if ever, a player of his age had made such an impact on the French top flight. A true prodigy in the Lille frontline, Hazard could well be the danger man for Rennes, and the defence will have to pay all attention to the Belgian international’s wild runs.

- Trivia

It’s been eight seasons already, since Lille failed to score at least a goal in a game at the Route de Lorient. Last time the Stade Rennais defence managed to preserve a clean sheet against the “Dogues” was indeed during the 2001-2002 season. On that evening, Christian Gourcuff’s men trashed Lille 4-0, with a double from Sorlin and goals from Arribagé and Maoulida. It is also good to know, that Lille won half of their away games to Rennes over the last six years.

- Phrase of the Week:

"We’re going to Rennes to win », Moussa Sow declared to the LOSC’s official website during the week.