Rennes clear the Georgian hurdle

- Double satisfaction
Although they weren’t offered the most gripping of games, the Rennes fan had the privilege to encourage a team setting up a unique performance in the club’s history. In eleven European ties (Cup winners’ Cup, Intertoto Cup and UEFA Cup), Rennes was yet to win both legs against any of their opponents. In seven occasions, the “rouge et Noir” had had the opportunity after winning the first leg, but failed to repeat it in the return (against Austria Lustenau and l’Autria Vienne in 1999, Synot and Aston Villa in 2000, Osasuna in 2005, Lokomotiv Sofia in 2007 and Simferopol in 2008). The Metallurgist Rustavi is therefore, involuntarily, entering in the club’s history books.

- Dijon in their mind?
As it could be expected, and in view of Ligue 1’s first game week, this Sunday in Dijon, Frédéric Antonetti was keen to give extensive playing time to his ideal XI of the early season. Only one change compared to the team lined-up in Georgia, Alexander Tettey started with Tongo Doumbia not making the squad. Without surprise, the starting XI in that game should be back to start the game in Burgundy. Will the goal scored by Victor Hugo Montaño and the good entrances by Abdoul Camara and Stéphane Dalmat change this deal?

- Mavinga was present
A last minute forfeit for the French U20 national team, currently involved in the age category’s World Cup, Chris Mavinga was present at the game, watching it in the stands alongside François Pinault and Hubert Guidal.
After experiencing foot pain which made him fear a stress fracture to the metatarsus, the new Rennes left-back could be soon returning to training in Rennes. On his Twitter account, the former Liverpool player affirmed, this Wednesday, that he could be present at training at la Piverdière as soon as this Friday.

- The UEFA punish Rennes
After a decision by the UEFA, the lower central section of the Ouest-France stand had to be left unoccupied last night, for security reasons. The space, usually reserved to the RCK (One of Stade Rennes’ main supporters group) had therefore to remain closed because of seats apparently not complying with the rules.
The interdiction had only been announced to the club on the previous evening, and did not go down well with the Rennes supporters, who took place on their usual seats despite the club’s disagreement and the intervention of Patrick Frétel, responsible of the security during the games.
Stade Rennes is now facing sanctions from the UEFA, and the club will have two or three weks to solve the issue.

- The Rennes quarter
By scoring twice after the 75th minute against the Metallurgist Rustavi, Stade Rennes has managed a performance unheard of since a year and a half. Indeed, the club had not scored two goals in the last quarter of an hour since their trip to Saumur in the Coupe de France (4-0), on January 23rd 2010. On that night, Rennes had done even better by scoring three goals in the same time period, thanks to a brace by Moussa Sow and a goal by Sylvain Marveaux.

- Seven out of seven
Last year, the media were consistent in mocking Stade Rennes’ attacking poverty, and the weakness of its attacking players in the finishing. So far this season, looking at the seven goals scored by Rennes against Rustavi, one could notice that they have all been scored by players from the attacking lines (Boukari, Féret, Pitroipa et Montaño).

- Five months later...
What could the date of February 26th 2011 mean ? On that day, against Lens (2-0), Stade Rennes had won their last home game of the 2010-2011 season. On that day, Victor Hugo Montaño had already scored his last goal to date at the Stade de la Route de Lorient. This is also the last time Rennes had scored two goals in a same game at home. All counters are now reset after this success against the Georgians.

- An assist for Dalmat
Delivering the pass on the second goal scored by Julien Féret, Stéphane Dalmat gave a boost to his Rennes statistics. Indeed, this was only his second assist since he arrived in Rennes, nearly a year after the first one, against Sochaux (2-1) on September 9th 2010. Last week, the Breton midfielder had already shined with the Reserve against La Vitréenne, scoring a goal before delivering a perfect pass for John Verhoek’s goal.

- 3 x 2 = 6
Two goals in two games for Julien Féret, the new Rennes playmaker, and both in competitive games. His current run allows him to catch up with his team-mates Razak Boukari and Jonathan Pitroipa in this season’s goal scoring table. So far, with two units each, there is no difference between the three players. Let’s remind that all three players are only two units away from Rennes’ best ever goal scorer in the European Cup, Jérôme Leroy with four goals (tied with Stéphane Guivarc’h, who scored four goals in the UEFA Intertoto cup during the summer 1996).

- Satisfied, not overwhelmed
Frédéric Antonetti took this second success against Rustavi with the satisfaction of a job done : « For the first leg, we were in the unknown, this is what motivated us. Tonight we knew the qualification was nearly guaranteed, we lowered the pace and this allowed our opponent to show more dangerous. Yacine Brahimi’s injury was a bit of a chill, since he had created the first two chances, the Rennes manager explained. We are more and more at ease technically but also showing less solidity. We will have to strike a balance so everyone works more in terms of conquest of the ball. The target is reached, I was waiting for the team to qualify and I’m happy that we are joining Sochaux and Paris in the next round”.