Presenting Stade Rennais
Here is the first “top of the table” duel of this 2020/2021 season for AS Monaco, who are about to challenge Stade Rennais on their home turf (Saturday at 9 p.m., at Roazhon Park). With seven points each, the two teams currently occupy second and third places in the table two points behind Saint-Etienne, who have won their first three Ligue 1 matches.
Julien Stéphan, the manager who changed everything
At only 39 years old, Julien Stéphan has transformed Stade Rennais since he took charge of the club’s first team in December 2018. While he had been in charge of the reserves, the coach of the Rouge et Noir was installed on the bench for an interim period that went well, with two wins against Lyon and Dijon. As a result he was named the coach of SRFC through June 2020. His first season on the Breton bench ended with a victory in the final of the Coupe de France, and his second, last year, saw him lead the club to the group stage of the Champions League for the first time in its history by finishing 3rd in Ligue 1. It is therefore against a European team that AS Monaco will compete this Saturday.
4⃣0⃣ bougies pour Julien Stéphan aujourd'hui ! 🥳
Joyeux anniversaire Coach ! 🎂
—#AllezRennes#ToutDonner 💪🔴⚫ pic.twitter.com/y4ZAsA4dPV— Stade Rennais F.C. (@staderennais) September 18, 2020
Rennes, third in Ligue 1 last year, will play in the Champions League
Rennes started their league campaign against another team that will represent France in Europe this season, Lille OSC, who will take part in the Europa League. The two teams played to a draw (1-1) with defender Damien Da Silva the scorer for SRFC. The Bretons then beat Montpellier with an own goal from Damien Le Tallec and an stunning finish by Eduardo Camavinga. Finally, on the third matchday, Julien Stéphan’s men won away to Nîmes, 4-2, thanks to Benjamin Bourigeaud but also two new recruits: Nayef Aguerd and Serhou Guirassy, the latter scoring a double in his first appearance in Red and Black. Stade Rennais have also welcomed Martin Terrier into its ranks and extended the loan of Steven Nzonzi for an additional year.
Press conference exceprts
Watch Niko Kovac’s complete press conference
Watch the complete press conference of Ruben Aguilar.
Stade Rennais – AS Monaco by the numbers…
- 87 matches in Ligue 1, with a record of 47 wins, 18 draws and 22 losses (143 goals scored, 94 conceded)
- In the 43 matches played at Rennes in Ligue 1, the record is 16 wins, 12 draws and 15 losses (55 goals scored, 53 conceded)
- 54% of the Bretons’ matchs against AS Monaco in Ligue 1 (47/87), have been losses, the highest percentage against a current top flight team.
- 3-0 is the biggest winning margin : it was March 13, 1997, when a double by Sylvain Legwinski and a goal from John Collins allowed the Red and Whites to win at the Stade de la route de Lorient and to consolidate their standing in first place, which would soon lead to their sixth title as champion of France a few weeks later.
