An enlarged squad to face Auxerre
Ligue 1, Stade Rennais - Auxerre, Sunday 17:00. Back in the race for European positions, Stade Rennais will try to manage a second consecutive success against Auxerre this Sunday. In this aim, Frédéric Antonetti will be able to rely on a nearly complete squad.
After their good performance in Lorient last week-end (2-0), Stade Rennais must now build on this success in Morbihan by beating AJ Auxerre this Sunday. For this game, Frédéric Antonetti has called a squad of eighteen players including Onyekachi Apam, who served his ban during the game against Lorient.
The Corsican manager of Stade Rennais FC will also enjoy the predictable returns of two key-players in the Rennes squad. Suffering with a tendinitis to the knee, Jean-Armel Kana-Biyik didn’t take part in the trip to Southern Brittany last week-end. Now well recovered of his injury, he is most likely to start the game alongside Kader Mangane at the centre of defence. The powerful Senegalese centre-back, who has been suffering with his left ankle since the beginning of the season, should also be present at kick-off. For once, Antonetti will have all his defenders available except for youngster Yassine Jebbour, who has been suffering with sharp ankle pains recently.
Enjoying this abundance of options, Frédéric Antonetti will have to think carefully about the players he wants to feature in his starting XI. Romain Danzé and Onyekachi Apam notably, could be competing for the right back position against Auxerre.
Also absent against Lorient because of muscular fatigue, Mevlut Erding has also been called back by Frédéric Antonetti. Following brilliant debuts with the Rouge et Noirs, the French-Turkish striker will certainly be pivotal in the tactics of the Breton coach.
As a result, Abdoulaye Diallo, Razak Boukari, Alexander Tettey and Chris Mavinga will be left with the Reserve to face US Saint Malo, in a clash between promotion contenders in CFA2. As for Dimitri Foulquier, the young Rennes defender will travel to Le Mans with the U19 squad, in the Coupe Gambardella.
Stade Rennais FC
- Goalkeepers : Costil, N’Diaye
- Defenders : Apam, Boye, Danzé, Kana-Biyik, Mangane, Théophile-Catherine
- Midfielders : Brahimi, Doumbia, Féret, M’Vila, Pajot
- Forwards : Erding, Hadji, Kembo, Montaño, Pitroipa
- Injured : Jebbour (ankle)
- Suspendu : n/a
- Manager’s decision : Boukari, Diarra, Diallo, Kandji, Dalmat, Doucouré, Foulquier, Issah, Mavinga, Rouger, Sané, Tettey