One squad for two games
Europa League, Atlético Madrid - Stade rennais, Thursday 21:05 CET and Ligue 1, Ajaccio - Stade rennais, Sunday 17:00 CET. Flown to Madrid this Wednesday evening, an enlarged Rennes squad of 25 players will then fly directly to Corsica without returning to Brittany. Without Dalmat but with Apam, Boukari, Kembo and Mangane.
As it was the case for the trips to Tbilisi, Belgrade, Udine and Glasgow, an enlarged squad has been flying to Madrid this Wednesday, to play at the Stadium Vicente-Calderon tomorrow. The “Rouge et Noir” are entering a “Mediterranean” week since their final game will be immediately followed by a trip to Corsica in which they will face AC Ajaccio on Sunday afternoon, without returning to Brittany.
No less than twenty five players are making the trip, including those just recovering from injuries, like Kader Mangane, Razak Boukari and Jirès Kembo. As a result, and for the first time in more than a year and a half, the injury-list is perfectly empty at Stade Rennais.
Formerly a constant presence on this list, Onyekachi Apam is also making the trip. The Nigerian defender is slowly returning to the competition, and he even played his first full game with the Reserve last week-end. Will he start in Madrid? “This isn’t sure at all”, Frédéric Antonetti replied, who remains in « reflexion » about his ability to play.
If he is included in the starting eleven, the Nigerian defender will probably be part of a team entirely different to the one playing at the Stade François-Coty next Sunday. Some players liking playing-time, such as Tettey, Mavinga, Brahimi or Jebbour could be given a start. Youngsters Foulquier, Diallo, and maybe even Fantamady Diarra could also be given their European start, in the prestigious stadium of Atletico Madrid.
For this double-header, the only important player missing in the squad is finally Stéphane Dalmat, whose departure is in the air. Youngster Quentin Rouger, professional since June, will have to patient a bit more while striker Abdoulaye Sané, the Reserve’s best goal scorer this season, has only returned from the U21 African Cup of Nations and can’t join the trip.
Stade rennais FC
- Goalkeepers : Costil, Diallo, N’Diaye
- Defenders : Apam, Boye, Danzé, Foulquier, Jebbour, Kana-Biyik, Mandjeck, Mangane, Mavinga, Théophile-Catherine
- Midfielders : Brahimi, Doumbia, Féret, M’Vila, Pajot, Tettey
- Forwards : Boukari, Diarra, Hadji, Kembo, Montaño, Pitroipa
- Injured : n/a
- Suspended : n/a
- Manager’s decision : Kandji, Dalmat, Doucouré, Issah, Rouger, Sané
- Photo : srfc.frenchwill.fr