Stade Rennais - Lyon : The History

The Opposition

The Olympique Lyonnais was officialy founded in 1950, taking over the Lyon Olympique Universitaire’s (LOU) football section. In the past, another Lyon team, the FC Lyon, had played in the French top-flight, reaching the final of the very first Coupe de France in 1918 (losing 3-0 against Olympique Pantin). After a brief spell in the second division, the OL played their first season in Division 1 in 1951-1952, before settling durably in the top-flight from 1954 to 1983.

Soon, Lyon imposes itself as a very good Division 1 club, from the fifties and up until the late seventies. In the while, the Rhone club collected a few trophies and built the base of their palmares, with three Coupe de France victories in 1964, 1967 and 1973.

In the 1980’s however, the Gônes were relegated to the second tier of national football, until their new promotion in 1989. That year, the Olympique Lyonnais finished their league in the lead (Group B) in front of Nîmes and Le Havre, and happily returned to the top flight.

During the next decade, Lyon would affirm themselves and progress in a linear way, to become one of the best teams in the country. 2002 was the year of the consecration for Jean-Michel Aulas’ club, with their first France champion title. Six more would follow, consecutively, crowned with a Ligue 1 – Coupe de France double in 2008 (the seventeenth in the history of French football).

In Europe, Lyon distinguished themselves early by reaching the 1964 Cup of Cup Winners’s semi-final, losing to the future winner, Portuguese club Sporting Portugal (0-0 / 1-1, 0-1 on the decider). Recently, the Olympique Lyonnais took part in three Champions’ League quarter finals in 2004, 2005 and 2006, before reaching the final four of this same competition for the first time ever last season (losing to Bayern Munich, 0-1 and 0-3)

Some big names of French and European football have played for Lyon over the years. Fleury Di Nallo (the club’s best ever scorer with 222 goals), Raymond Domenech, Alain Caveglia, Florian Maurice, Ludovic Giuly, Sonny Anderson, Karim Benzema and the emblematic captain - Juninho, wrote the finest pages in the club’s history.

Previous meetings

As strange as it can seem nowadays, the reception of Lyon used to often rhyme with victory for the Stade Rennais. The trend eventually reverted since the 1990’s, and the Gônes regularly came to win over the last two decades, often with impressive score-lines.

There are indeed only three Rennes victories to be noted over the last ten encounters. The first one, in 2003, had been a founding statement for the Frei - Monterrubio generation (joined by Källström a few months later), the second during the 2006-2007 season was considered a genuine achievement. Indeed, Mbia’s goal ended a three months unbeaten streak (in France and Europe) and a nearly spotless run.

The last victory in date against OL is a very good memory for the Rennes supporters, as it is the night Mickaël Pagis managed his wonderful hat-trick (Rennes won 3-0). Last season, Claude Puel’s players came to win logically, 2 goals to 1, despite an early goal by Asamoah Gyan.

La dernière victoire face à l’OL ravive bien entendu de très bons souvenirs aux supporters stadistes, puisque ce fut le soir où Mickaël Pagis s’offrit ce fabuleux hat-trick (victoire du SRFC, 3-0). La saison passée, les joueurs de Claude Puel étaient venus s’imposer logiquement sur le score de deux buts à un, malgré l’ouverture du score précoce d’Asamoah Gyan.

-  2009/2010 Season : Douchez - Fanni, Mangane, Hansson, Bocanegra - Tettey (Danzé, 82’), M’Vila, Lemoine (Leroy, 70’) - Briand, Gyan (Kembo Ekoko, 80’), Marveaux.

Summary of Stade Rennais - Lyon in L1 : 38 games, 19 Rennes victories, 6 draws and 13 Lyon victories. 68 goals to Rennes, 51 to Lyon.

Last Rennes goal scorer : Asamoah Gyan (April 3rd, 2010)

Last ten Stade Rennais - Lyon

- 2009/10 (L1) : Lyon wins 1-2 (Gyan / Bastos & Lopez)
- 2008/09 (L1) : Rennes wins 3-0 (Pagis (3))
- 2007/08 (L1) : Lyon wins 0-2 (Juninho pen. & Ben Arfa)
- 2006/07 (L1) : Rennes wins 1-0 (Mbia)
- 2005/06 (L1) : Lyon wins 1-3 (Källström / Juninho, Tiago & Wiltord)
- 2004/05 (L1) : Lyon wins 1-2 (Dudu Cearense / Nilmar (2))
- 2003/04 (L1) : Rennes wins 3-1 (Arribagé, Puydebois o.g & Frei / Malouda)
- 2002/03 (L1) : Lyon wins 0-1 (Govou)
- 2001/02 (D1) : Draw 2-2 (Arribagé & Batlles pen. / Anderson (2))
- 2000/01 (D1) : Lyon wins 3-4 (Le Roux (2) & Chapuis / Anderson (2), Echouafni o.g. & Marlet)

Sources :
- Stade Rennais Online archives

Photos :
- forum footnostalgie